Sink or Swim
by BabyBearxox
Summary: After her so-called 'friends' left her behind to pursue a life of good, Queenie had to figure out a way to survive without them. She hadn't planned on betraying the people she held so close to her heart, but she'd been drowning without them. It wasn't her fault she was unfortunate enough to have a slightly psychopathic pirate be the one to save her. (Currently being re-edited.)
1. The Princess of Hearts

AN;

Hello readers! Just a few bits here to help you out with the story.

First of all, this story will take place during the events of 'Descendants 2', so it's strictly Isle-Based for the most part. I haven't read the books yet so I'm only basing this world and it's characters from what I've seen in the films. But feel free to PM me with any facts and such from the books if you think it'd help the story in any way, as that would be greatly appreciated.

Warnings; T+

. Swearing (I'll keep it down as much as I can.)  
. Violence (Nothing too graphic, but it is in here.)  
No other warnings for now. But if I do feel a particular chapter has a bit of a touchy subject, I'll make sure to post an A.N. at the beginning of said chapter.

This is a Harry/OC story, but it is quite dark. And I just felt the need to point that out. I don't think the rating needs to be bumped up from T to M since there's nothing too graphic in here, but if you feel it does need a rating bump then let me know and I'll change it as soon as I can.

I should point out that this story is in the midst of being re-edited. So if some chapters are worded differently than others it's because I haven't gotten around to changing them up yet.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy!

* * *

 _"Mal! Mal!"_

Queenie sniffled and released a faint, disheartened sigh, her hazel eyes watering at the sight of her old 'friend' on the fuzzy television screen.

Truth be told, she shouldn't have even been watching the damned T.V.. She'd only left the chip shoppe to grab her jacket from the den - or 'home' as she'd come to call it over the passing months. If she was gone too long then surely someone would come looking for her, but it wasn't as if she'd planned on staying any longer than she had to. She'd only switched on the T.V. in an effort to fill in the horrible silence she couldn't bare to stand when she came home, but seeing her friends living the high-life in Auradon while she herself suffered was proving to be a rather bitter distraction.

The young princess wiped away her tears and thought back on that fateful day, that lingering thought of how it all went wrong appearing in her mind once again.

She remembered it like it was yesterday. Her closest friend, Jay, had told her the news only an hour before the long vehicle had come to pick them up. All he'd really told her in that short span of time was that he and the rest of the Core Four were being sent to Auradon to retrieve the wand for their parents, and that he'd be back for her as soon as it was all over and done with.

 _'But he didn't come back, did he?'_

Queenie wrinkled her nose and closed her eyes, internally pleading for the voice to leave her be. But she knew it wouldn't ever listen.

The day Queenie had watched the young princes coronation had been the day her life twisted itself upside down. Instead of fulfilling their only task of grabbing the wand to please their parents, her old 'gang' had gone in a completely different direction. Instead of bringing the barrier down and releasing every V.K. on the Isle from the never-ending torment they faced from their own villainous parents, the daughter of Maleficent had made the split-second decision of handing the magic wand over to the Fairy Godmother and had - rather publicly - announced her own choice to stay in Auradon and become 'good'. And just as they had on the Isle the rest of the group followed suit, until all four declared good over evil.

It'd taken a solid month for Queenie to come to the realisation that they weren't coming back for her. Every night she'd gone to sleep praying for a letter to arrive, or for one of them to return and reassure her that they still remembered her. Every time she walked through the dark streets of the Isle and someone decided to hiss insults and spit in her direction, she always made sure to remind herself of the promise they'd made. The Princess of Hearts had built up enough hope in her small body to sustain her for a good amount of time, and she'd been so sure of herself then.

The young girl's memory and mind hadn't been quite the same since. Nasty words and mean stares had eventually turned into fists and slices, the Isle dwellers grasping tight at the opportunity to put down an associate of the Core Four as soon as they took notice of the situation. Queenie had been on the receiving end of every punishment intended for Mal or one of the others, and since she'd had no parent to rely on back then she'd had to simply endure and - when it ended - somehow bring herself up. But each and every time she managed to tell herself that there was still a chance of her friends coming back for her.

Until one night she stopped. One night, precisely a month after she'd been abandoned, Queenie had dragged herself to the only person she had left. But in doing so she'd handed herself in to the only person on the Isle with a personal grudge against Queenie herself, and in doing so she'd nearly lost her life.

And then _he_ found her.

Queenie lowered the volume on the television, twisting her head to the side as a familiar whistle rang clear in her ears. "Oh no!" she gasped, frantically leaping forward to switch off the T.V. and move to her feet.

The young princess paused and raised a hand to her forehead, blindly reaching for her black leather jacket as she waited for the dark spots to fade from her eyes.

As soon as the moment was gone Queenie was sprinting out of her den, fumbling to push her arms through the sleeves of her jacket as she raced down the metal steps leading up to her home.

"No, no, no," she hastily repeated the words to herself as if it'd somehow help her out of her predicament.

The whistling stopped and so did she. Instead of rushing towards what very well could have been an impatient and violently-impulsive pirate, Queenie took her time and instead leaned over the railing, her wide eyes darting through the large gap in an effort to spot the unwelcome guest a little clearer.

"Q'!"

The Princess clenched her eyes shut and huffed a breath of relief, the wave of utter anxiety she'd felt at hearing the whistled tune disappearing with each movement she made toward the ground. For the first time in a long while, her prayers had somehow been answered.

"Damn it, Gil!" she yelled, attempting to steady her racing heart when she finally faced her friend.

"What?!" the large boy exclaimed, his constant expression of visible confusion ever-present in that moment.

Queenie opened her mouth and raised a hand to grip her curls, too many insults forming in her mind for her to word anything comprehensible. She wished with everything she had to be able to insult the son of Gaston, and yet she still found herself unable to do so. For whatever reason the little princess really didn't have the same willingness as the others to take her anger out on someone who didn't know any better. She should have been able to do something so easy, especially since so many had done the exact same thing to her before she was 'protected', but she couldn't.

It just wasn't in her nature.

"I-It doesn't matter," she muttered instead, lightly shaking her head to rid herself of the troublesome thoughts and reminders.

"Okay." Gil shrugged, casually sticking his thumbs through the belt-loops of his faded jeans, the young girls frustrated expression going straight over his head.

"Why are you here?" she inquired, zipping up her jacket to protect herself from the cold air of the Isle.

"Oh!" yelped Gil, his eyes widening in realisation as he reached into one of his pockets. "This is for you." He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to Queenie, peering down curiously as she inspected the note.

"Need the cash from Tremaine's," Queenie read the note out loud to herself with a whisper, "shouldn't be too hard for you." She grumbled with indignation and scrunched the paper up into ball, tossing it aside as she looked up at her friend.

"Why isn't Harry here?" she wondered. She wasn't about to complain about the idea of being with Gil on one of her usual 'raids', but alas her lingering curiosity won over once again.

"Mal was on the T.V., so Uma got angry," the blonde-haired pirate explained, and Queenie nodded her head in understanding.

"Why didn't you stay?" she asked him, her brows furrowed in slight confusion.

The large and muscular V.K. gave a small shrug. "They kicked me out."

"You called her 'shrimpy' again, didn't you?" the princess asked, her lips twitching upwards in a small grin of amusement.

Gil rolled his eyes skyward as he thought for a moment. "Uh-huh," he confirmed with a nod. His eyes then widened as a gasp of realisation left his mouth. "Is that why they keep sending me away?!"

"Yes!" she laughed in reply.

"But everyone calls her that."

"Not to her face," she told him, rather dumbfounded at the fact that, until she'd told him, Gil hadn't quite understood why he was being thrown out of the Chip Shoppe like a pestering little alley cat. She'd always known he wasn't very observant, but even _this_ was pushing its limits.

"Oh," he drew out the word with a long breath of understanding, moving his head to stare at his boots.

"How haven't you been 'hooked' yet?" the princess mumbled to herself as the thought flew into her mind. She wasn't expecting an answer, she really hadn't counted on him having heard her at all, but he had.

"Because I'm strong," he replied, a large and proud smile gracing his features as he stood to full height, jutting out his chest in an overdramatic display of strength. "Uma said so herself."

The smile slowly slid from the young princess's face as she stared at the boy in front of her. Queenie felt so bad for him sometimes, especially with the way he was treated by Uma and Harry. Sure, he was a little idiotic sometimes, and he always spoke before he thought, but he had a very good heart. And considering where they all lived he was - at least to Queenie - a rarity. He always gave everything his full effort, and even though it sometimes didn't turn out how he planned it to, his constant persistence to please the Captain and First Mate was what made him their 'third-in-command', as it were.

Uma and Harry didn't notice it, but Queenie did.

"C'mon," she muttered, lightly patting her friend's bicep as a sign for them to start walking.

The trip to Lady Tremaine's hair salon wasn't far, in fact it was only down an alleyway and around the corner from Queenie's home, but living on the Isle meant that they couldn't be too content with their surroundings. Even something as simple as a small trip to the market could wind up with her in a ditch somewhere, and even though she was grateful for having some company with her on the short journey Queenie knew full well that her protection wasn't the reason Gil had been sent with her.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess here and say that they still don't trust me?" she asked Gil as they moved through the street, occasionally swerving to avoid oncoming thieves on the run and numerous boxes left outside the buildings.

"Nope," he replied, and Queenie lowered her head. "I-I mean...I think so?"

The young princess raised her head just a fraction, her bid to avoid locking eyes with anyone she walked by clashing with her efforts to keep an eye on where she was going. She stayed silent for the time being, the small twinge of hurt she felt at still not being able to do anything on her own rendering her completely silent.

"I just don't get it," she eventually said, twirling a thick strand of her dark-brown hair in both hands: A nervous habit, she'd come to realise.

"Don't get what?" inquired Gil, looking down at the shorter V.K..

"I've been working at the Shoppe for four months now. Uma asks, and I do. No questions asked. Even at the beginning when she interrogated me for information on Mal and the others I told her everything I knew. I guess I just thought that, by now at least, they would've learned to trust me."

The Princess of Hearts knew that ranting to Gil wasn't the best decision, since he almost always ran off to tell Uma and Harry, but she couldn't help herself this time. There was a good chance he'd forget everything she'd said to him by the time he did see them again, and she was willing to accept that risk. Just because she'd learnt to keep her feelings to herself didn't mean she couldn't unload every now and again, and sometimes they built up inside of her until - eventually - something tipped out. But when that unfortunate moment did come around she'd much rather be with Gil than anyone else. He was dumb, but he was her friend.

"Maybe it's because you're not evil?" he offered as an answer, and Queenie glared in response. "But it's true!"

The Red Queen's daughter wished she could tell him otherwise, but she couldn't. It _was_ true, after all. She wasn't evil, far from it in fact. By Isle standards she was even considered 'good'. But on the Isle good was bad, and good would surely get you hurt; Or killed.

"So what if I'm not evil?" she scoffed, occasionally glancing upward at her tall friend. "Uma and Harry should know that. I didn't go to school here and get the lessons on 'how-to-be-evil'. I was raised in a c _astle,_ and just because I wasn't getting my ass handed to me every other day for not doing something 'bad-enough' does not mean I can't be trusted."

The son of Gaston stayed quiet after that, seemingly having no reply to her long-winded rant and - for the most part - Queenie was grateful. Anyone else would have mocked her for being so quick to announce that she wasn't like everyone else. Even when she'd first met the Core Four they'd been immediately sceptical, Mal especially giving Jay absolute hell for trying to bring someone so 'lady-like' and 'timid' into their group when they had a reputation to uphold. But Queenie had long-since assumed that her being 'good' had been their very reason for bringing her in. After all, even life on an island prison got a little too repetitive. She was something new for them to play with and corrupt, and Mal herself had taken on a great portion of teaching Queenie their ways, mischievously informing them that she 'loved a challenge'.

"We're here."

At the sound of Gil's voice, Queenie looked up, withdrawing herself from her memories to find that she'd been so deep in her own thoughts that she hadn't noticed their arrival.

"Could you wait for me?" she asked Gil, wringing her hands anxiously as she glanced up at him. "I just don't want anyone to walk in while I'm doing this."

If it'd been anyone other than Gil, they'd have merely scoffed and waved away her request, firmly stating that they went with her. But, thankfully, she _was_ dealing with Gil, and despite his airheaded ways he was quite the loyal pirate.

"Sure." He moved a few feet away and leaned his back against the wall, his arms firmly crossed against his chest as he scanned their surroundings, a firm glare crossing his face that - at least to her - appeared so out of place when compared to his true personality.

"Thank you," she giggled. Queenie turned back toward the door and gave a hefty push, sliding herself in through the gap and letting the door shut loudly behind her.

As the young princess moved through the small hallway and toward the plastic curtains that led into the salon, she breathed in deep in a bid to calm her anxious mind. She truly loathed coming face-to-face with Lady Tremaine or her wicked daughters. It happened very rarely since they didn't appear too eager to actually work for a living, and Queenie mostly dealt with the youngest of the Tremaine family, but when they were around she couldn't completely focus. Anastasia and Drizzella were - for the most part - an annoyance, their scratchy and screeching voices constantly ringing in Queenie's ears long after she'd gone. But Lady Tremaine truly was the worst. Her green-eyed stare could slice through anyone's stony exterior, and she hardly ever spoke when she did so. All she did was stand and stare, and in some ways that was way worse than actually threatening. Queenie felt absolutely worthless in her presence, but to shed some positivity on a disturbing occurrence it did seem to make her get the job done quicker.

Queenie cautiously pulled back the transparent curtains and stepped inside the salon. She kept her steps light and her attention on high-alert, her eyes working around the dye-splattered room only to find it empty.

"Hello?" she called out.

"Queenie!"

The Princess of Hearts grunted and winced as a smaller form crashed into her stomach and chest. Two thin arms came around her waist like a vice, tightening until she finally felt she wouldn't be able to breathe anymore.

"H-hey Dizzy," gasped Queenie, slowly moving her arms around the youngest Tremaine to return the overly-enthusiastic hug she'd been given.

"Hi Queenie." The youngsters voice was muffled due to her face being pressed into Queenie's jacket, but the utter delight was there all the same. And despite not being able to breathe properly, Queenie couldn't find the will to push her away.

After leaving her mother in favour of living with the V.K.'s, Queenie hadn't made many friends. She hadn't really counted the Core Four as friends, per say. They'd been more like teachers, handing her small tasks and lightly scolding her for not doing her best. But all that changed when Evie dragged her to the salon one day stating that she needed 'some serious hair treatment', and introduced her to young Dizzy Tremaine. A wonderful hairdresser, fabulous designer and - most importantly - a huge breath of fresh air.

The youngest Tremaine was quite like Queenie herself, and the princess wondered if that was why they bonded so quickly when they first met. Both were quite reserved and shy around strangers, and neither were truly evil. They were just... there. Neither girl went searching for trouble and both stayed close to their homes and familiar territory. After spending so much time around Mal and the others, Queenie quite enjoyed hanging out with someone like herself. Someone who didn't have to bully or torment others to find their own happiness. Dizzy was young and maybe that's why she wasn't as evil as everyone around her, or maybe it was just how she was wired. Either way, Queenie loved to come and see her, and she always knew she was welcome by the little one.

"Where have you been?" Dizzy demanded suddenly, backing away from the princess with both hands placed sternly on her hips. "I've been going crazy around here," she continued, standing as tall as she could manage with her chin raised as she scolded the V.K..

"I'm sorry Dizz'," the princess apologised, her shoulders drooping as she thought back on the last time she'd come to visit the little one. "Honest. You know I love coming here, and I would've come sooner but..." Her voice trailed off into a long sigh, somewhat reluctant to let the little one know what she'd been up to since she'd last come through the salon.

"It's alright," the younger girl assured with a small nod, and Queenie smiled. It was a bit of a routine for them. If the princess stayed away too long, she was sure to receive a rather hilarious scolding from the youngest Tremaine, but it never lasted. Dizzy knew that Queenie had obligations to someone else, and that that someone else could keep Queenie away for a good while if he felt like it. The little one didn't hold grudges, and that was exactly the reason Queenie felt it was so easy to come back and see her.

"It's not alright, but thank you."

"So," the littlest Tremaine sighed pointedly, eyeing Queenie's long hair with a small glimmer of excitement in her eyes.

Queenie rolled her eyes. She knew exactly what the little one was hinting at, and though she'd planned on having her hair sorted for a little while now she knew that there was another reason for her coming to the salon.

"Actually Dizzy I...um-" Queenie paused as she stared at the little one in front of her. It truly broke her heart every single time Uma sent her to get the money from the 'Curl up & Dye', especially since she knew how hard it was to make a living on the Isle. But she had to do it.

"Oh," muttered Dizzy with realisation, the light in her eyes fading as both she and Queenie turned to look at the register.

"Do you have it all?" the princess asked gently, though a part of her knew the answer before it was even given.

The youngest Tremaine bowed her head and plucked out the key for the register. She slid the key into place and twisted, the drawer popping open with a loud 'ping'.

"I-It's been slow lately," she stuttered to explain as she pulled everything from the register, handing it over to a guilt-ridden Queenie.

The Princess of Hearts looked down and counted the money, a small grimace twisting her features as she realised it would cover Uma's 'protection payment' but leave the Tremaine's with nothing. Queenie knew what she had to do, but her overwhelming sympathies towards her little friend had her conflicted.

In the end, Queenie's selflessness won the fight.

"Okay, listen," the princess said quietly, quickly glancing at the door to make sure Gil hadn't come through to find her. "I'm going to take half of this and tell Uma it was all you had."

"But Queenie-"

The princess raised a hand as Dizzy began to object, effectively shushing the little one for now. "I know your Grandma," she said, "if she doesn't have the best of what the Isle has to offer then she'll go crazy. You'll be the one suffering for it since you're down here all the time and I can't let that happen."

Queenie looked down at her hand and removed a few bills, folding them up and handing them back to Dizzy. The little one fidgeted as she took the offered money, her eyes downcast to avoid looking up at the princess.

"Queenie, I-I can't," she whispered with a plead.

"You can," the princess stated, pocketing the rest of the cash.

"You don't understand," huffed Dizzy, raising her head.

Queenie sighed as she took note of Dizzy's emotional state. Clearly, the youngest Tremaine didn't want to take the money from her and possibly get her into some kind of trouble with Uma. But the Princess of Hearts was stubborn, and her mind would not be swayed. Plus, the thought of her little friend being worked to the bone just because she hadn't had the guts to step in and help sickened Queenie to her stomach. This wasn't the first time she'd refused to take all of the money and she knew it wouldn't be the last. All she could really do was stick to her plan and pray that it went in her favour once more.

"It's okay, Dizzy," the older girl reassured, reaching forward to wipe away a lone tear trailing its way down the little one's face. "I promised Evie I'd take care of you when she left, and that hasn't changed."

"Will you get into trouble?" asked Dizzy, cradling the money to her chest.

"No. I'll be fine."

A small white lie was much better than the painful truth of it all. Truthfully, Queenie feared what would be done to her if Uma found out she'd been sneaking around and lying, and gods help her if Harry knew what she was up to. But the princess was naturally submissive and skittish, and it'd gotten her this far with the pirates without raising any suspicion. Chances were that, like always, she wouldn't be caught out, and by the time they came back to the salon the Tremaine's would have enough money for both themselves and the crew.

"Okay, I have to go," the princess announced sadly, and Dizzy nodded in understanding. Queenie could only hope that the next time she came it would be her own decision. "I'll see you soon, 'kay?"

Before Queenie had the chance to leave, though, she found herself dragged back into a familiar bone-crushing hug. She ignored the pain this time and simply smiled, returning the act since she knew all too well she may not return for another week or so.

"Stay safe," the littlest Tremaine muttered, her arms loosening around Queenie's waist as the princess pulled back.

"I always do."

~...~...~...~...~

The journey toward the docks had been rather quiet; A little too quiet in the princess's opinion. Fortunately, though, it gave her enough time to form a credible excuse for Uma when she eventually found the strength to drag herself into the Chip Shoppe. She hadn't managed to come up with anything reasonable quite yet, but Queenie did have a few ideas mulling around in her brain that she could use when the time came, and - for now at least - that was enough.

Queenie warily moved behind Gil toward the entrance, and when he stopped to speak to the red-head that frequently occupied the porch just outside of the Shoppe, she stepped back and turned her head away.

"Uma here?"

"No, she went to the ship," the woman replied.

Queenie moved her head to the side in a flash, her eyes widening at the realisation that it wasn't Uma she'd be dealing with that night.

"Oh, okay, thanks." Gil turned to face Queenie, an apologetic grimace crossing his face.

"I-I guess I better get to the ship then," she said unsurely, hoping the small smile of feigned confidence she gave him would conceal the distress she felt bubbling just underneath the surface.

"Be careful," he told her, looking down as he scuffed the edge of his shoe against the wooden floor.

The smile Queenie gave him then wasn't at all false, and the hug she gave him afterward even less so. Finding friends on the Isle was a difficult thing and for her especially, since she'd long-since been deemed the property of the first mate. No one talked to her at the risk of Harry finding out and 'hooking' them: Not even those who may have only had good intentions. Her loneliness tormented her the most and, despite Gil acting and thinking much like a child would, Queenie couldn't quite explain the gratefulness she felt towards him whenever he showed her a small act of kindness. He and Dizzy were the only ones who treated her with a shred of decency, and that meant more to her than all the riches they had over in Auradon.

"I'll try," she said, pulling herself from his warmth with much reluctance.

Gil left her outside then, giving her a heavy pat on the shoulder before he entered the Shoppe, and Queenie finally made her way down the ramps and toward the ship.

The young princess shivered and brought her arms toward her chest, lightly rubbing up and down her arms in an effort to bring some heat to her body. Even now she still didn't understand the pirates' love for the water. The ocean air was disgusting. The constant odour of salt swept in through her nostrils and - if she was there too long - gave her a huge headache. And since they had no sunshine on the Isle, what with the large grey clouds surrounding their small prison, it was always cold down near the docks. She personally preferred to stay on dry land. The middle of the Isle was packed with crowds, stalls and buildings, blocking out the harsh conditions they had to face on a daily basis.

 _'Then again,'_ she thought. _'I'm not a pirate.'_

Queenie eventually found herself stood at the edge of the ramp leading onto Uma's ship, and for a moment she had to stop and gather herself. She took a quick glance around, satisfied to see that people were much too busy dealing with their own tasks to focus on her small panic attack. She breathed in deeply and finally stepped onto the ramp, resisting the urge to vomit over the side as she inhaled a large dose of salty air.

The crew aboard the ship ignored her for the most part as she walked by, though Queenie could feel their eyes drilling holes into the back of her head as she walked. She knew they wouldn't do anything to hurt her, not when they knew who she belonged to, but the unsettling weight of their sneers and nasty glares urged her to move faster down into the belly of the ship, and so she moved just a little bit quicker.

Queenie released a sigh of relief once she reached the darkened hallway inside of the ship, the lanterns on the walls lighting her path as she walked. She scolded herself repeatedly in her head, reprimanding herself for not collecting the money sooner after Gil had told her about Mal being on the T.V.. If Queenie had gotten things over and done with just a little bit quicker, then she may have managed to catch the Captain before she went into the ship for some 'down time'. Everyone knew not to bother Uma when she was in a mood, so when the time did come for the Captain to retreat for a little while, everyone had to report back to the first mate instead.

And oh, how Queenie hated that fact. The princess would gladly take Uma over Harry every time. It didn't matter that the Captain held some sort of distain for the little princess, always greeting her with back-handed remarks or looking down at her. Uma was, for the most part, calm. She didn't lose her temper often, and if she was angry with someone Queenie could usually see it on her face. It certainly made steering herself away from a threat a little easier. But Harry was different. If the first mate was angry with someone, then no one would know until it was too late, and the person that caused it was lying in a puddle of their own blood. His constant attitude of indifference was what made him terrifying, and Queenie still hadn't learned how to read him just yet, which only served to make things worse. She was small and fast and that usually helped her escape some kind of attack, but it wouldn't ever work with him. Harry liked to play around and he wouldn't ever go straight after someone unless he knew he had them locked. He preferred to take his time, dancing around the subject at hand or even walking away until things calmed down, and only then would he make his move.

In a nutshell, Harry was violent and cunning; And that was why Queenie was so scared of him.

Queenie wavered as she stood just outside of Harry's closed door, twisting a long strand of hair around her fingers on impulse. She hadn't thought of what to say to him: She could barely lie to Uma on a good day, let alone to Harry. But she had to. If he caught her out and found out exactly why she'd lied, he'd go straight to the 'Curl up & Dye' and take it out on Dizzy's salon, knowing full well it'd hurt Queenie more than anything to see her friend suffer for her own dumb actions.

"Are ya gonna stand there all bloody day?"

The young princess froze, her hands pausing in their ministrations as she heard his voice. She'd been stupid to think he'd been in his room. He'd most likely been with Uma, ensuring his Captain was alright before he came back to his own quarters.

"I-I was just thinking," she said back, cursing the stutter in her voice. She stayed still for the time being, placing a shaky hand to her chest to calm her racing heart once more.

The hallway became eerily silent, only doubled by the fact that Queenie knew Harry was behind her. She knew he was thinking, but she dreaded to know what was exactly going through his mind. It was either that or he was toying with her, letting her stand and soak in the unwavering apprehension only he could make her feel. She just wished he'd stop fucking around and finally say something.

Queenie held her breath as she felt his presence right behind her back, her eyes tightly shut as she let her arms hang down near her sides. She winced as a familiar and cold object grazed the back of her neck, the hook gathering her thick locks of dark-brown hair to bring them over her left shoulder.

Queenie tried to remind herself that Harry wouldn't hurt her: Not without a reason anyway. He terrified her more than anything else on the Isle, but he was still the only one who helped her when she needed it the most. However, Harry was quite the sadist, feeding off of the fear and sadness he instilled on many of the Isle residents, and she was no exception to the rule.

The first mate leaned forward, his motions forcing Queenie to do the same unless she wanted to be even closer to him, and pulled the handle down on the door.

"After you princess," he chuckled low and into her ear, apparently satisfied with the reaction she'd given him.

Knowing better than to stall, Queenie did as asked and walked into the bedroom, her panic lessening somewhat as she put a good amount of distance between herself and Harry.

"I have the money," she told him as he came in close behind her, settling into the usual routine of lighting the lantern in his own room.

The faint glow of light allowed Queenie to better see her surroundings, and she forced herself to refrain from wrinkling her nose. She was, by no means, a fussy cleaner, but apparently Harry wasn't one for chores. His room was an absolute pig-sty. Clothes strewn about the floor, the bed unmade, his desk cluttered with random objects he'd most likely stolen. She could only thank the gods that he'd had the decency to open up the window before he left.

"All of it?" he asked her, stepping over the items covering the floor to place his coat on a nearby hook, his hat also being placed neatly above the mess he'd created.

"Not exactly," she muttered quietly.

A loud _bang_ rang out inside the room and Queenie flinched. He'd struck his hook into the small table on the right-hand side of his bed. Not hard enough to get the weapon lodged deeply into the wood, but with enough force to have the desired effect.

He wasn't happy, that much was obvious. But Queenie hadn't doubted that. She'd already started, now she just had to see it through to the end. Hopefully with all of her limbs firmly attached to her body.

"An' why's that then?" he wondered, leaning back against the object he'd just assaulted with a contemplative look on his face.

Queenie tried to look directly at his face, she really did, but eventually she had to look away. She couldn't handle it, he simply terrified her too much for her to keep eye contact while lying.

"Dizzy told me things were going slow," she eventually found the strength to say, her gaze instead travelling to the mess of clothes at his feet. "I took everything she had but it wasn't enough."

Harry didn't stay still for long. Soon enough, Queenie found herself looking down at his boot-clad feet, and she mentally pleaded with herself to stay calm as bile rose in her throat.

The first mate was - by no means - a genius in any way. He couldn't tell time: Though Queenie had safely assumed his father was to blame for this fact, since she was sure the ticking of the clocks was what drove him to insanity. And, despite often bragging about how well he could control himself, Harry's anger issues definitely needed some work. But intimidation was what he was best at. Whether he'd learnt it from his father, or he'd somehow obtained the skill by himself over the years, she wasn't sure. Either way, he had a strange and dark kind of aura surrounding him, and added to the constant manic grin on his face and charming accented voice... well, he'd truly mastered the art of it.

Whatever it was he did that made him so scary when he didn't speak, it worked wonders on Queenie. And it rendered her completely submissive in his presence.

"Hand it over then princess," he whispered.

Queenie reached her hand into her pocket and pulled out the money she'd taken from Dizzy. She slowly held it out to him, using the majority of whatever she had left of her inner-strength to keep her hand from shaking.

Instead of taking the cash offered to him, Harry grasped at Queenie's small wrist with a tight grip. Not quite hard enough to cause any long term damage, but enough to get his point across and have her mind reeling.

A warning.

"She didn' say anythin' else?" he pressed.

Queenie's eyes flickered toward the shiny hook he held in his left hand, the very little confidence she had faltering at the sight of it. She could go back on her word now and spare herself from a horrible punishment, beg him to give her a second chance to go and get the rest of the money. But then she thought of little Dizzy, and how s _he'd_ be the one to suffer if Queenie didn't just get her shit together and follow through with her lie.

 _'C'mon Queenie,'_ she urged herself.

The princess blinked and, finally, made a move she hoped would catch him off guard and throw away any doubts he might have had about her.

Queenie carefully lifted her head up, her neck craned awkwardly as her eyes found their destination. He was significantly taller than her, and a hell of a lot bigger, which made looking up at him as painful as it was unnerving.

Keeping eye contact on the Isle of the Lost was a bit of a tricky situation. Most took it as a sign of defiance, or even a challenge. The stronger villains and their children often kept their heads raised, constantly looking at anyone around them that might do something as small as stare back. Meanwhile, the lesser villains, much like Queenie herself, did everything possible to avoid it. Always keeping their heads down or turned away, all worrying over what might happen if they weren't quick enough to swerve being caught. It showed fear and respect, everything the stronger villains thrived off of.

Which is how Queenie knew it'd throw Harry.

"She didn't say anything else," she assured him, mentally applauding herself for not having cowered away as soon as her hazel eyes met his blue ones.

The first mate stared back down at the princess, brows furrowed in thought and slight intrigue. He was surprised, that much she was sure of, but she never could quite tell with him.

"I can go back tomorrow and get the rest of it?" she offered.

Harry hummed to let her know he'd her loud and clear, though he didn't give her any demands. His eyes stayed on her face for a little bit longer, sceptically roaming her features for something.

"Nah," he said finally, taking the money from her hand as he stepped back.

Queenie released a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. "Why's that?" she asked, keeping her tone light on the off chance something other than simple curiosity would unravel her lie.

Harry shoved the money into his coat pocket before turning back to face her. "I'll 'ave ta teach her a lesson, won' I?" It wasn't a question, and she definitely didn't have an answer. "I mean, we can' 'ave people makin' late payments now, can we?"

"I-I guess not," the princess answered, lowering her eyes once more as she twirled her hair between her fingers. Queenie done her part, now all she could do was pray that he didn't go too hard on Dizzy, and hope that her little friend wouldn't rat her out. Although, that was high in probability if Harry decided to push down on the youngest Tremaine.

There was a faint shuffling and, once again, Queenie found herself unbearably close to the first mate. She swallowed down the vomit threatening to make its way to the surface, and this time she kept her eyes on his chest. Keeping a steady gaze with him once had both mentally and emotionally drained her, and she couldn't bare to do it again.

"I-I should go," she said hopefully, her voice making it seem as though she were asking him rather than telling him.

"Aye, ye should." Harry moved away from her personal bubble, and Queenie turned slowly as to not raise any more suspicion, her shaking hands clasping the cold door handle.

For a moment she truly thought she'd gotten away with lying to him. _'Finally,'_ she thought, a small part of her revelling in the fact she'd managed to slip past the infamous Harry Hook.

"Jus' one quick thing princess," he called out from behind her.

Queenie could feel the cold air coming through the crack in the door. Just a few more steps and she'd been out in the hallway and away from Harry. But she knew better than to ignore him, and so she turned around.

The hook in his hand was what she saw first. It was raised in front of his face, the fingers of his right hand trailing along the curve until they fiddled with the sharp point. He was looking down at it thoughtfully, his bottom lip gently clasped between his teeth as he psychoanalyzed his beloved object.

Harry didn't have many tells, but Queenie had seen this one on more than a few occasions. Specifically before he 'hooked' someone.

The princess tensed, her eyes widening as a familiar sickness struck her stomach once again. She made the foolish mistake of looking up at his face, and found he wasn't so fascinated with his hook anymore.

"How stupid do ya think I am?"

* * *

AN;

So that's the end of this chapter. I hope you guys liked it. There wasn't much going on here but it is the first chapter, so it's more of an introduction into the OC's life and personality more than anything.

I hope you like it, and please make sure to leave a Review. Suggestions are also appreciated. Thanks


	2. Punishments and Familiar Faces

The Princess of Hearts stared back at the first mate, her wide and frantic eyes anxiously darting in every direction. Her face paled, and her small fingers tightened around the door handle she still had hold of, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts.

 _'He knows,"_ her mind yelled at her. But how did he know? She'd done absolutely everything in her power to make sure he didn't know what she'd done. The only way he could have even known about her small betrayal would be if Dizzy herself had told him, and Queenie knew there was no way her friend could've gotten the information to him in time.

Queenie looked back up at Harry, a small twinge of hope rising in her chest. There was a very small chance he didn't know anything at all, and that maybe he was just messing around with her head again. Maybe he was only startling her to see if she truly had done anything wrong when - in reality - he had no idea about anything.

It was a small chance, but it was one she was willing to take.

"I-I don't-"

"Oh, ya don' know what I'm talkin' about?" he chuckled, ending her sentence before she'd barely began. "The money, princess. That wasn't all of it, was it?" His humoured expression faded, his eyes zeroing in on her face as he glared.

He definitely knew.

Queenie looked toward his unmade bed, her mind begging her to find a way out of the dangerous situation she now found herself in.

The young princess twitched her fingers nervously, and an invisible lantern lit above her head as her hand still felt the door handle. She couldn't fight Harry, not in a thousand years, and especially when he was as angry as he was in that moment. She had only one option, and she didn't even have time to consider it.

 _'Run!'_

Before she could fully comprehend her actions, Queenie found she'd swiftly turned her back to Harry and pulled the door open even further. A cowardly decision, but with her life on the line she really couldn't stand to be picky.

"Oh no you don't."

Queenie barely had one foot out the door when she felt herself being yanked back into Harry's bedroom. She screamed and yelled incoherently as his arms wrapped tight around her middle, successfully pinning her own arms down at her sides. Fighting to free her arms was useless, she barely had enough strength to lift a box, let alone release herself from Harry's vice-like grip.

"You don' get ta run little princess." He groaned as he lifted her into the air, kicking the door closed with his foot as he turned them away.

Rational thought wouldn't help her anymore. The only option Queenie had left was to struggle and protest as much as she could, and hope it would sway in her favour. So, when her feet weren't firmly planted against the dirt floor anymore, she began to throw out her legs, praying that she'd somehow make contact with something and be able to shove him back and away from her.

"Let me go!" she screamed, thrashing about in his hold. She knew full well no one would hear her screams, it was mid-afternoon and the outside of the ship was practically packed. But even if they did, the people of the Isle were smart enough to know not to come to her aid. She wasn't over-exaggerating when she said that people were terrified of Harry. No one would dare go against him, not if they wanted to keep their blood on the inside of their bodies.

She was all alone in this.

For a split-second Queenie felt him release her, and suddenly she was falling.

"Do I have ta tie ya down? Or are ya goin' ta deal with this like a good girl, princess?" he taunted.

Queenie pushed back the hair that'd fallen into her face after her fall, and she looked up. She sucked in gasps of air, frowning as she realised he hadn't even broken a sweat during their 'scuffle'.

"Fine," she sighed in defeat. She had no other choice now but to speak to him. He was blocking her only means of escape, and the only way for her to leave would be to go through Harry... again. It wasn't an option she was too keen on choosing, especially when he still held his damned hook. She might have been stupid enough to try and run from him once, but she wasn't _that_ stupid.

Queenie settled herself down and shuffled around on the bed Harry had thrown her onto, partly grateful he'd at least had the decency to not toss her down onto the hard floor.

"Right," he said with a small nod, satisfied to find that she wouldn't be running again. "Now, back to my earlier question." He took a large step forward and - in turn - Queenie moved back. "How stupid do ya think I am?"

She didn't answer: She knew better than to. Even if she could come back with some form of witty reply, it wouldn't help her in the slightest. So, instead of answer, she replied with another question. The _only_ question she'd had on her mind since she'd realised he knew.

"How did you find out?"

"I didn' know for sure, not until ye showed up," he told her, once again sliding his fingers along the length of his hook. "I always thought those Tremaine's were a dodgy bunch, cuttin' back on their payments like the stingy little bastards they are. I had no idea one of our own was playin' on their side."

"I didn't do it for Lady Tremaine!" the princess snapped in objection, only to reel herself back in when his eyebrows raised with warning. "I didn't do it for her," she grumbled quietly, lowering her face to stare at her wringing hands.

It didn't take long for Harry to figure it out, and soon enough Queenie heard his small huff of laughter as he realised just _who_ she'd been helping.

"The little one?" The young princess nodded at his question, and flinched as Harry laughed even louder. "Oh my little princess," he chuckled.

Queenie gasped as a sharp pressure came just underneath her chin, her head following the path up at the risk of being cut. She stared up and into Harry's eyes with much reluctance, the colour of his orbs so light and vibrant that, if she looked too long, she'd surely get lost in them.

Oh, how she loathed him sometimes.

"Ye've got a soft spot for her, haven' ya?"

It immensely annoyed her when she saw how amused he was with her suffering. Even when he wasn't around she always felt as if he was mocking her in some way. But despite it all, she'd much rather deal with _this_ Harry than the 'completely-blinded-by-rage' Harry. In her mind it was the lesser of two evils.

"What was it then, eh?" he asked her, slowly withdrawing his hook from her face and disappearing from view.

"W-what do you mean?" she inquired with great confusion, her heartbeat picking up its pace as she avoided looking around for him.

The space in the bed behind her dipped suddenly, and Queenie jumped. He was behind her now; The worst place for him to be. At least when he was within her direct line of sight she could attempt to figure out his next move, but when he was behind her she had absolutely no idea what he'd do next.

"Why did ya help her? Ya lied ta me princess," he whispered into her left ear, his chin digging uncomfortably into her shoulder. He sounded hurt, but Queenie knew better by now. He was simply messing with her.

The young princess stared ahead at the closed door, struggling to find a worthy reply. He wanted to know what it was that made her help Dizzy. The truth of the situation would only get her killed, or severely maimed. She couldn't possibly tell him that, before leaving, Evie had made her promise to take care of the little Tremaine. Neither could she tell him that she truly enjoyed spending time with Dizzy. Harry hated any mention of the four 'traitors', and even more so when it was her speaking about them. Plus, if he thought for one second that Queenie had found some kind of 'happy-place' away from him, he'd surely go mad. Both truths would have her in some kind of suffering, so she really couldn't win this one.

"I-I don't know," she said pathetically. "She's innocent." It wasn't a complete lie, and she prayed it would be enough to sustain his curiosity.

The small room fell into silence, and there was nothing more the young princess hated more than the quiet. Harry hadn't replied to her answer, but from the unnerving pressure of his hook being pressed into her side, Queenie could tell he wasn't happy with her. She just had to wonder how long he was going to drag it out.

"H-Harry?" she asked hesitantly, unsure of whether or not it was a wise decision to speak before he did. But the hum that he gave to let her know he was listening was enough to calm her, so she spoke up, "How did you know?"

Harry hadn't answered her before. Not well enough to satisfy the question burning into the back of her mind anyway, and he could have kept it to himself if he felt like it. His answer depended solely on how much pain it would cause her to hear it. If what he knew wouldn't hurt her in any way, then he'd keep it a secret, his fondness for tormenting others overriding his need to tell her, and he'd happily sit and watch her overthink and drive herself to the brink of insanity trying to figure it out.

Anything he ever told her was a weighed decision of which could cause the harshest of punishments, and Queenie had always hated that about him.

"I'm surprised the little misfit didn' tell ya," he mumbled into the crook of her neck.

Queenie blanched. "What?"

"I had my suspicions about ya princess, so I counted the money before we sent ya in an' told little Dizzy not ta tell ya. I didn' think she'd listen." He finished his explanation with a dark and quiet chuckle, but Queenie phased it out.

Everything made sense then. How guilty and upset Dizzy was when Queenie refused to take all of her money. How adamant she was on the princess taking the cash. The youngest Tremaine had practically begged Queenie to listen to her, but the older V.K. hadn't wanted to hear it. Queenie had foolishly thought that, like all the other times before, she could slip past the Captain with an excuse and a few apologies. She hadn't thought for one moment that they'd suspect her.

But they had. Somehow Uma, or Harry, had taken great notice of the lack of money coming in from the Tremaine's, and they'd put a sneaky plan in motion. One that would determine whether or not Queenie was a traitor. And, like an idiot, she'd taken the bait.

Queenie blinked slowly, her bottom lip quaking as a rush of tears pooled in the corners of her eyes. A familiar twinge of sorrow tugged at her chest, her emotions betraying all logical reasoning. She tried to assure herself that Dizzy hadn't meant for this to happen, that the little one hadn't anticipated how much trouble Queenie would fall into by not telling her, but it didn't help.

The very first time Queenie had felt this way, she'd been living with her mother. The woman who'd raised her, taught her everything she'd known, and kept her safe, had thrown her out the moment she found out Queenie had been running around with the Core Four. The Queen of Hearts had been outraged at the idea of Queenie not being happy with her life inside the 'castle', and had had Queenie forcibly removed from their home the second their argument had ended.

The second time Queenie had to endure this feeling, it'd been the day she found out her 'friends' were leaving to go to Auradon. It hadn't mattered to her that their parents were forcing them to go. What had mattered to the young princess was that none of them thought to tell her until an hour before they had to leave.

The third time, she'd been back at the den. It had been the day of the Coronation, when the Core Four declared their decision to turn good for everyone to see. Queenie hadn't taken that moment particularly well, since they'd spent so much time on the Isle convincing her that she wasn't 'bad' enough to be a full-fledged member of their group. But that pain had dulled somewhat when she remembered the promise Jay had made.

The fourth - and last - time Queenie had gone through it was a month after the Coronation, when she was dragging herself through the streets of the Isle with the bitter realisation that they really weren't coming back for her. She'd made a promise to herself that night that she wouldn't ever let herself feel so horrible again, and she'd been doing so well.

The Princess of Hearts raised her knees to her chest, her shoulders shaking as she hid her sorrow. For whatever reason, this feeling kept making a brutal comeback, each time more painful than the last. She wished with every fibre of her being that she could fight against it, but she knew now that she wasn't strong enough to do so. She'd even kept her circle small, though not completely by choice, with the strong hope that those she'd chosen to associate herself with wouldn't ever betray her. And yet, it still happened.

"Ya feel it lass?"

"S-She didn't k-know," the princess sobbed, immediately coming to Dizzy's defence. She felt humiliated to show Harry how vulnerable she was, but there really was no point in hiding it. He'd seen her in worse states than this.

"She did know," he said abruptly, his tone firm as he spotted her attempts at fighting back. "She knew an' she didn' tell ya."

Queenie knew not to listen to Harry, but she couldn't help herself. She'd caught on to his ways of making her turn against everyone she was friends with a very long time ago, and this time was no different. But it didn't help that he often made so much sense. He enjoyed the idea of being her only 'friend', of being the only one she felt she could really rely on, and he took every opportunity to prove it to her.

Even if it meant hurting her in the process.

"H-Harry," she begged, and thankfully he knew just what to do.

The first mate was, by no means, an affectionate person. Rather than help those in need he preferred to kick them while they were down, so to speak. But when the rare moments came where Queenie had completely unravelled, he knew just how to handle her. She'd told him once that, when these moments came, it felt like she was drowning, and sometimes she needed something sturdy enough to hold onto to keep her afloat. And every time he was there for her, waiting to bring her back to reality once again.

It was something she both enjoyed and despised.

Queenie felt his arms come around her shoulders and she gripped his forearms, leaning her head back against his shoulder as he whispered soothing words and shushes into her ear.

"Let it all out, love, it'll make ya stronger," he told her.

Every time he told her the same thing, that all the pain and torment she'd endured during her time on the Isle would, eventually, make her stronger. And though she appreciated his strange attempts at cheering her up, Queenie wondered if she'd ever be as strong as him. She longed for the day when she'd be able to have someone turn against her and not feel a damn thing. The day where her fragile emotions wouldn't get the best of her. But she really wished the day would come sooner rather than later. The constant heartache was beginning to take its toll, and Queenie had no idea when it would end, or even if it would. All the waiting around was starting to drain her, both mentally and physically. What should have made her stronger only seemed to be weakening her, chipping away at her soul until she was sure there'd be nothing left.

It was driving her mad.

"It still hurts," she told him, her sobs long gone though the pain remained. She opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling, trying to regain control of her breathing by syncing with Harry's.

"I know princess," he cooed, raising his right hand to rest on her cheek, his thumb lightly stroking the side of her head.

Queenie slowly twisted her head to the side as she calmed herself, Harry's oddly affectionate ministrations working wonders for the pain in her head. She found that, like always, he hadn't been thrown by her meltdown one bit; If anything he seemed rather pleased. For what reason, she wasn't sure, but a part of her envied him for that. His ability to remain completely unaffected by anything done to him would always astound her, but it would also always remind her that she wasn't a true V.K..

"What did I tell ya princess? When we first met?" he asked her, a small grin tugging at the edges of his mouth.

"It's a sink or swim world here and no one's going to keep me afloat," she replied, thinking back on the very day he'd told her those words. Her brows furrowed, however, as she thought harder. "But you did."

Harry's smile slipped from his face, and instead he frowned, his eyes staring into her own as he thought about what she'd said. "Aye, I did," he confirmed, that familiar expression sliding right back into place. "But I saw somethin' in ya princess. Ya could be so much more than ya are now, if ya'd just listen ta me. Can you do that Queenie?"

The first mate hardly ever said her name. He usually favoured little pet-names, though Queenie had now assumed it was his way of showing her he was better. He nick-named pretty much everyone, even Gil, but never Uma. So when he did take the time to fully say her birth-name, Queenie knew she had to listen.

"Of course," she replied.

Harry's smile widened with obvious pleasure and, much the princesses unhappiness, moved away from her, leaving her alone at the edge of the bed as he moved to stand in front of her.

Queenie sighed and lowered her legs, not realising just how cold it was inside Harry's room until his warmth had left her. She planted her feet firmly against the wooden floor, looking up at him as she patiently waited for him to figure out what he was going to do next.

"Ye're a good girl, princess," he said with a sigh, and Queenie sensed the 'but' about to slip through his lips. " _But_ ya still have ta be punished. I can' 'ave people thinkin' I've gone soft now, can I?"

Queenie swallowed hard at his words, and eyed the hook in his hand. Apparently, her earlier suffering hadn't been enough, he just had to do something drastic to make sure everyone knew the pirates didn't accept any wrong-doers.

"I hate ta have ta hurt a face as pretty as yers," he muttered, his eyes focussing hard on the small and harmless scratch he made against Queenie's cheek with his hook.

"Ha-"

Before the young princess could even attempt to say anything, Harry pulled back his hand and struck her across the side of her head with the blunt end of his hook. Her head swung to the side with the force, her small and malnourished body slumping back down onto the bed as her dark curls covered her face. She was still breathing, but she'd have one hell of a headache when she woke up.

Harry scratched the side of his head with the hook and moved forward. He kneeled down beside the sleeping princess, smoothing her hair away from her face to see a large red mark. It would undoubtedly bruise, but it wasn't the worst he'd done and it certainly wasn't the worst he was capable of doing to her. Whether she knew it or not, she was stronger than she gave herself credit for. She'd been through much worse and she'd be able to deal with this with no trouble at all.

"Ye'll learn eventually, love."

~...~...~

"Why did you do it?"

Queenie ignored Gil's hesitant questioning, and instead leaned her head back against the couch. She didn't want to answer any questions: She didn't want to have to think back on the huge mistake she'd made. All she wanted to do was sleep her troubles away. But - thanks to Harry - sleeping was all she'd done for a good few hours, so her body wasn't in the mood to settle.

Physically, she was okay. But mentally she was a complete mess.

"Do what?" she asked with a sigh, reluctantly deciding that speaking to Gil was much easier than dealing with her own self-destructive tendencies.

"Why did you let Dizzy keep the money?" he clarified.

Queenie pursed her lips and turned her head to face him. She switched the small ice pack from her left hand to her right, holding it to her throbbing temple as she took this moment to think of a good enough answer.

"Because she's my friend, Gil," she told him quietly.

Gil nodded, but she could tell he didn't understand. How could he? As far as she knew, he'd been raised the same as everyone else on the Isle. He'd been taught to look out for himself first, and to never put his own safety before anyone else's. Even if he didn't have that child-like mind of his, he wouldn't get it. No one would.

"Does it hurt?" he asked with a wince, his gaze travelling towards the large, purple-green bruise decorating the side of Queenie's face.

The young princess shrugged and gestured to the ice-pack in her hand. "Not really." It wasn't a lie. She'd had the ice-pack on her painful bruise for a good while now and, thankfully, it served its purpose. The side of her head throbbed, but the freezing sensation overrode it. She just thanked the Core Four for having the sense to create one during their time on the Isle.

 _'I hate ta have ta hurt a face as pretty as yers.'_

Queenie closed her eyes tight, Harry's words echoing clear in her mind. She took in deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself, but it wasn't helping. The threat and attack had passed, and yet she still felt it.

"How does it look?" she asked Gil, removing the ice-pack from her face, tilting her head for him to see it better.

"Um," the pirate dragged out the word with a flinch, uncomfortable with the mark she was showing him. "Purple?" he offered with a small shrug.

"Gil!" she whined, shaking away the water droplets that had trickled down her arm before holding the cold material to her face once again. "You're no help," she grumbled childishly.

"I-I mean," the teen stuttered and fumbled over his words, trying to find the right thing to say to appease the young princess. "He didn't hook you! That's a good thing, right?"

Queenie sighed and nodded in agreement. "I guess so. I mean when it comes to things Harry's capable of doing, this is pretty much a tap, right?" She giggled nervously, attempting to refrain from thinking about all the horrible things that c _ould_ have happened; And there were many.

Gil let out a small grunt of agreement and moved suddenly, removing himself from underneath the small red blanket Queenie had placed over them both. He got to his feet and turned to look down at her, an apologetic look on his face.

"Do you really have to go?" she asked with realisation, her crestfallen expression telling him more than he needed to know.

"He told me to bring you home and then come back. I stayed as long as I could though," he told her, and she nodded in understanding. She didn't want him to leave. If she had her way, he'd stay with her for the rest of the night. But if Gil went against Harry's word then he'd surely be punished as well. Not quite to the same extent she had, but it'd still be something.

The young princess gave him a small smile to make him feel better, and she lowered the ice-pack to the ground. Carefully, shegot to her feet, taking the time to do so to avoid another head rush, and wrapped the blanket around herself.

The idea of being forced to spend the remainder of the night alone filled Queenie with a horrible pang of sadness. She loathed being left alone with her own thoughts, but Harry knew that, and it was most likely the reason he'd put her on temporary house-arrest. His punishment for her lying to him had been minor since he'd had an even better plan in mind. Queenie hated that he knew her so well, and that he'd used his information on her as a way to teach her a lesson. She was accustomed to pain and, despite what she thought, she handled it well. But sitting around in her den all night and overthinking the many ways she could've escaped the first mate would certainly drive her crazy.

And the bastard knew that.

Queenie moved toward the door and pulled it open, her eyes watering as Gil stepped out onto the metal stairs.

"Thank you for coming, I guess," she said to him, straining to keep her emotions hidden until he was gone.

"It's okay. I like talking to you, you listen," he told her with a small smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow," the princess said with a wave, and he returned the act before making his way down the steps.

When his footsteps faded, and Queenie knew she was truly alone, she shut the door and headed back in to the main living space.

Queenie groaned as she bent down, removing her boots as she made her way back onto the red couch. She picked up the discarded ice-pack and held it to her head once again, a small hiss of pain escaping her mouth as she pressed the cloth to the tender area. It wasn't as cold anymore and, knowing that it wouldn't help in the slightest, Queenie threw it onto the small table in front of her. She leaned forward and pushed the button to switch on the T.V., deciding that she'd much rather spend the remainder of the day watching the Auradonian's babble than stew in her own horrid thoughts.

When nothing interesting enough appeared on screen, the young princess rolled her eyes, deciding that it just 'wasn't her day'. There was no sign of King Ben, or any of the Core Four, just a woman rambling on about something called a Cotillion... whatever that was.

Time passed and, soon enough, Queenie felt herself drifting off. She didn't know how long she'd been mindlessly staring at the T.V.. It could've been minutes, or it could've been hours, but it didn't matter how deep into her mind she went, because as soon as she heard the footsteps against the stairs getting louder, and the unmistakable sound of the front door screeching open, the young princess was on high-alert.

Someone was in the den.

Queenie quickly shut off the T.V. as her fight-or-flight instincts took hold, the red blanket she once clung to sprawling to the hard floor as she shot up from her seat, frantically searching for a place to hide.

As she panicked to find somewhere to hide herself, Queenie silently wondered who the hell had managed to even get into the den. No one knew of the _flying rocks_ sign downstairs, and there was no one stupid enough on the Isle to come looking for her. Everyone knew who she belonged to: Harry had made damn sure of that after he took her in five months previous. Unless he'd revoked his protection after her 'mishap'. But Queenie quickly demolished that silly thought. Harry was an asshole but he wouldn't do that, not to her.

The unknown intruder's footsteps grew louder, the _thuds_ their heavy shoes made against the floor taunting Queenie to move faster.

Instead of hiding as she should have, Queenie quickly grabbed a wooden bat that'd been stashed underneath the couch for such an occasion. She wasn't a fighter, but she'd had a hell of a day and she wasn't in the mood to be hurt again.

"Who's there?!" she yelled out, twisting her clammy hands around the handle of her weapon.

"Hey there Q'," the intruder greeted calmly, their body and face soon coming into Queenie's view.

Queenie knew that voice. She'd heard it many times before her 'friends' left the Isle, but now she only had the misfortune of hearing it through the T.V.. But it couldn't be, could it?

"Mal?"

* * *

AN;

Okay I know this one was short, but I really wanted you guys to have more of a look into Harry and Queenie's relationship dynamic. It's nowhere near romantic, or how a normal relationship should be, but this is how I truly felt this kind of relationship would go. And Mal's back! So things will get more into the movie story-line soon enough.

Again, please let me know how you found this chapter. Reviews are appreciated and thank you to everyone who've reviewed, following or favourited. It means a lot.


	3. Bad Tempers and Disturbing Revelations

Queenie gaped, brows raised high as she stared at Maleficent's daughter with nothing short of utter astonishment. Her form tensed, and her hand - if it was even humanly possible - held the bat even tighter. She hadn't fully prepared herself to face whoever it was that happened upon on her den, but never in a million years had she imagined _this._

 _'Oh shit,'_ she thought, a large handful of questions flying through her mind in a jumbled mess and preventing her from even speaking. She had so many things to ask the former V.K..

 _'Why is she back? How long is she staying? Are the others back too?'_

The young princess quickly raised a hand to flick herself in the side of the head, a small effort to make the voices in her head shut the hell up for once. Unfortunately, the exact side she'd chosen to assault had been the spot Harry had hit only hours before. She winced and hissed loudly, clenching her eyes shut as a terrible and sharp pain radiated through her head.

Only when she re-opened her eyes did Queenie notice the odd stares she received from the now-blonde-haired girl stood in the doorway, and she quickly brought herself back down to earth. She had to say something - anything, really. Just enough to make herself seem less crazier than she actually was.

"Uh." Queenie paused as she thought, her eyes flickering to the side as she attempted to create a comprehensible reply. "Hi?" Her voice was questioning and hesitant, and Queenie resisted the urge to face-palm herself then and there. On the other hand, however, she thought she'd done rather well considering the current circumstances.

Much the young princesses relief, the blonde didn't point out the odd greeting, nor did she question Queenie's rather awkward stance. Instead, Mal simply nodded, apparently satisfied with the greeting she'd received, and strolled right in to the living space.

"So," the former V.K. muttered uneasily, lowering her backpack to the floor. "Place hasn't changed much."

Queenie hummed in acknowledgment, the odd and straining tension in the air not lost on the little princess. She still stood, the unwavering anxiety in her body rendering her unable to relax. She'd gotten so used to being alone in the den that the arrival of anyone made her skittish. But she also knew that that wasn't the only reason.

Back when the Core Four ruled the Isle, Queenie hadn't ever spent some 'alone time' with Maleficent's daughter. The latter was always with her mother or tormenting the locals, and Queenie spent a good amount of her time with them firmly attached to Jay's side. The only time Queenie was even around Mal was when the group felt the need to drag her out of her 'home' and attempt to teach her their ways. She'd been much closer to Jay, what with him having been the one to take her away from her mother, and Queenie had only ever really spoken to him. She hadn't quite bonded with Carlos, the smallest of the Core Four had been constantly following his own mothers orders, or sitting silently in the corner of the room. The only other person she'd had the luck to know was Evie, though Queenie knew full well the only reason the Evil Queen's daughter had taken a small liking to her was because of their royal status. They hadn't been true friends. Evie only ever talked to Queenie when she wanted an opinion on one of her new creations, or if she was bored and wanted another princess to dress up.

But Mal? There was no way in hell the old 'leader' would have ever willingly spent time with her. They were polar opposites, after all. Mal enjoyed being 'evil' as far as Queenie knew then, and the young princess was everything but. Truthfully, Queenie hadn't really felt a friendly connection with any of them, which also explained why they'd never fully invited her to become one of their 'gang'.

"How've you been?" asked Mal, casually crossing her arms as she faced the other girl.

Queenie opened her mouth to reply, only to stop immediately. She gave a small scoff of disbelief, lightly shaking her head at her own foolishness. She'd hoped for an apology before anything else, a small and vulnerable side of her needing to hear it from at least one of them for what they did. But from Mal's calm and unbothered demeanour, she knew that wasn't what her old 'leader' had had in mind when she returned to the Isle.

The young princess raised her head, and a rather unsettling force shook its way through her body. She silently attempted to calm herself, inhaling and releasing deep and soothing breaths in the hopes it would keep the feeling at bay.

It didn't work.

The Queen of Hearts was rather notorious, and for many reasons. The one thing many talked about was her psychotic fondness for cutting off the heads of those who dared go against her. During her day, and night, trips out onto the streets of the Isle, Queenie had heard a good few people who dreaded the very idea of hearing her mother's infamous screech to remove their head. Queenie hadn't ever seen the brutality first hand, she'd only ever heard whispers through the alleys and a few small facts from Gil when she, eventually, had plucked up the courage to ask him. She'd heard many terrible things about the woman she'd once adored, but it did explain why so many were quick to dodge from her path when she first went for a walk on the Isle.

The second, and probably worse, thing Queenie's mother was known for was her temper. She was a grown woman; A very beautiful and intimidating one in fact, but her tantrums were borderline childish. If her mother couldn't have something then she'd take it, and whoever had refused her would lose their head. The littlest misdemeanour would set off her mom's tantrums. All someone had to do was look at her wrong and she'd immediately jump to defence. The Red Queen's rage was never ending, from what Queenie had had the misfortune to see, and it was a rather powerful thing. It confused Queenie sometimes, since her mom had been so patient when she was growing up, never laying a hand on her or turning her anger on the young princess. But if someone other than Queenie was stupid enough to do something wrong then that anger would return with a vengeance, burning and destroying anyone - or anything - her mother set her sights on.

Queenie had been unlucky enough to inherit this odd family trait. She was, by no means, as powerful or quick to relinquish it like her mother, but it had made its appearance now and again. The beatings and near-death-experience Queenie had gone through had dulled it somewhat, but when she was alone and her thoughts got louder it hit her. Many times she'd had to clean up the den after her small 'episode', knowing that if anyone found out - mainly Harry - then they'd find some way to taunt her with it.

No one on the Isle knew about it; Not even Harry. But Mal was about to.

"Queenie?" the former leader inquired gently, and the young princess looked up. The blonde wasn't so relaxed anymore: If anything she'd done a complete switch while Queenie was sucked into her own mind. Mal now stared at her with something akin to concern, a strange thing to see from someone Queenie once feared, and she shuffled her feet nervously, as if she was completely ready to run if she had to.

Queenie did something then that neither her nor the former V.K. had expected. Something so sudden and so unnatural that it stunned them both.

She _laughed._

Laughing on the Isle wasn't unheard of, in fact many did when they were hurting someone, but it was rather peculiar when it was coming from Queenie. The young princess rarely laughed anymore. She hadn't really found any enjoyment since she'd been left for dead after the Core Four left. And what was worse was that the laugh wasn't one of amusement; Far from it, in fact. It was silent at first, only growing as the seconds went by, until her shoulders were shaking from the sheer force of it. It was dark and twisted, the kind of sound someone would make before doing something absolutely terrible.

It reminded her of Harry.

"Queenie?" repeated Mal, this time with much caution, as if she was poking Chernabog with a stick.

The young princess hummed absentmindedly, her laughter dying down into giggles as Mal's voice drew her back to reality. She pushed back her dark curls and scrutinized the blonde stood a good distance away from her, slightly astounded to see the Isle's former ruler looking so frightened.

"You know you've been gone for six months, right?" the princess finally said, tilting her head to the side as she tried to shove the smirk from her face. She didn't feel like herself anymore, and it terrified her more than anything, but her actions weren't quite her own. She couldn't feel much, she couldn't feel anything; Nothing but overwhelming resentment.

"I know Q', I'm so-"

"Don't tell me you're sorry," the princess seethed, cutting through the apology before it was even given. She didn't want excuses, and she didn't want a pathetic apology with no meaning. She wanted six months of her life back. She wanted all of the hurt and emotional suffering she'd been subjected to taken away from her. But it was too late for that now.

"You left me here," she said pointedly. "You all skipped off to Auradon and left me on my own. How the fuck do you think I've been?!"

"I can't even begin to think about what you went through." Mal warily raised her hands in front of her as if it would protect her from harm, and her green eyes flickered towards the exit, her sneaky little mind already sussing out the many ways in which she could escape the sudden threat.

"No, you can't," the Princess of Hearts agreed with a small shrug. It kind of amused her how worried her old 'friend' seemed. Mal had always been the scary one, using her position as Maleficent's daughter to rule over the Isle. She'd spent so many years stealing, beating and hurting people, and to see her now so frantic and jumpy was rather hilarious to the young princess.

"I thought our parents would keep you safe," the blonde said as an explanation, carefully shuffling her way around the room and towards the exit.

"Oh, they did." Queenie sensed what Mal was up to as soon as she started to move, and the princess wasn't quite ready to end their discussion just yet. "I think they helped me because of you guys. I mean, how bad would it be for them if _you_ freed everyone on the Isle and then found out they'd gone against you?" She lightly tapped the bat against the side of her head that wasn't injured. "They're smart people."

Mal quickly looked to the side and then back at Queenie, her face paling noticeably as she realised Queenie knew what she was up to.

"Do you want to know what happened after you guys chose 'good'?" the princess asked with slight mocking. It wasn't a question, and she wasn't expecting an answer either.

"Queenie-"

"Well," the dark-haired girl dragged out with a long sigh. "They kicked me out. After your mom got out and you took her down they really had no need to keep me around anymore. I still had this place," she waved a hand to gesture to the building they currently stood in, "but it didn't keep me safe for long."

Mal frowned, her eyes shining with utter remorse as she stared at the princess. In truth, she hadn't expected Queenie to be safe on the Isle when they left, but judging by the little one's unrelenting anger, she'd gone through something none of them had really considered. So, Mal decided to stay where she was and hear Queenie out. She owed her that at the very least.

"What happened to you, Q'?" she asked gently, dropping her raised arms to her sides. She'd done her fair share of running, and she wasn't too eager to do it again.

The Princess of Hearts paused, the outrage she'd felt slowly leaving her as she sensed Mal's strangely sympathetic tone. She'd expected to have to fight for the blonde to hear her, that she'd have to scare her into staying and hearing Queenie's story. But Mal stood stall and firm, her arms crossed as she patiently waited for Queenie to keep going. She wasn't bored, or trying to run. She was actually staying, completely invested in what the young princess had to reveal.

It was enough to throw Queenie, and with that distraction her other emotions came pouring in.

"They came after me," the princess whispered, her eyes flooding with tears of pain and sadness as she re-called everything that had happened before Harry found her. "All the people you stole from, bullied, all of them."

The young princess sobbed and threw her bat to the side, the weapon smashing one of the small windows that covered the main wall. She stumbled back into a wall, clutching at her hair as her head pounded and her heart ached. She slid down the hard surface and onto the cold floor, pulling her knees to her chest as she cried into her arms.

Once she'd safely determined that Queenie was no longer a threat to her, Mal took slow and steady steps toward the little princess, a little wary now that she'd seen just how much Queenie was like her mother. The princess's face didn't go a horrible shake of pink-red, but her outburst had certainly startled the daughter of Maleficent: Enough to make her wonder how long Queenie had been hiding that nasty little trait. She hadn't ever seen it when they were together on the Isle and, as far as Mal could recall, Jay hadn't ever mentioned it. But despite how scary it was to see the meek little princess so angry, Mal knew she had every reason to be that way.

"Q'," she whispered gently, loud enough for the little princess to hear her, but not so loud that it would scare her. "Queenie look at me."

When the Princess of Hearts raised her head, Mal gasped audibly. The blonde had seen her fair share of pain on the Isle, both physical and emotional, but nothing she'd ever seen could compare to how Queenie was now. She wasn't just hurt, or sad, she was absolutely miserable. And it made Mal wonder just how much torture the princess had gone through while they were gone.

"I am so, so sorry," she said clearly, looking directly into the princess's eyes. She needed to convey just how horrible she felt to know that Queenie had been hurt while they were gone. Mal couldn't lie to her and say that she'd thought about her once in Auradon, because the truth of it would only make things worse. But to see the princess so fragile and devastated because of a choice they'd made... well, it really had solidified her idea of staying on the Isle. Good people didn't leave their friends alone in a dangerous place, nor would they have forgotten about her. A good person would have stayed or - at the very least - come back to get said friend.

Mal was truly a villain. Plain and simple.

Queenie sniffled and leaned her head back against the wall. "You should've brought me over," she muttered. "I always wanted to see Auradon, y'know."

"You'd love it," the blonde assured her with a small smile. "The parties are amazing and the food is to-die for. Strawberries are the best." It hurt her a little to talk about how wonderful Auradon was when she'd willingly left it all behind, but her words were true and it seemed to be cheering the princess up.

"What the hell is a strawberry?" wondered Queenie.

"It's a fruit, real sweet and it goes amazing with sugar."

"Huh," the young princess muttered absentmindedly, lowering her eyes as she thought. Auradon sounded wonderful to her, like it was the place she was meant to be. And it killed her that she wouldn't ever be able to see it.

"Q'?" called Mal, and the princess looked up. "Are you okay?"

Queenie faltered, clamping her bottom lip between her teeth as she pondered the girl's question. She was living, but in her mind it seemed more like she was merely surviving. She very rarely felt any happiness, the warm and fuzzy emotion only ever came to her when she was alone with Gil or Dizzy, but even then it was a small fraction. For a good while now, her main feelings seemed to be that of dread, fatigue and an irritating pang of emptiness. She barely ate or drank anymore, only doing so when her stomach ached and a wave of nausea niggled at the back of her throat. She was alive, and she should have been more than grateful for just that, but she wasn't okay. Not by a long shot.

"I spent so long running, y'know." Queenie hiccupped and brushed away the remnants of tears with her sleeve, averting her gaze once more. "I nearly died once, but then he found me." A small smile twitched at Queenie's lips then, a small act that would've went completely unnoticed had Mal not been concentrating hard enough.

But she did see it, and it worried her immensely.

"Who found you?" the blonde questioned abruptly.

"He helped me," the princess replied, instead of answering Mal's question. She could've thrown Harry's name around but she chose not to, knowing full well that the old V.K. would throw an absolute bitch-fit if she found out Queenie had been running around with 'the enemy'. "He didn't have to, but he did."

"He the one that did that?" Mal pointed to the rather violent bruise on the side of Queenie's face, pursing her lips as she realised her old 'friend' had no intention of telling her who'd saved her. Whoever the guy was, Queenie seemed rather determined to protect him, and that only worried the blonde even more.

"It wasn't like that," the princess snapped curtly, alarming the girl in front of her once again. "I did something wrong Mal. You know how it works here."

"Yeah, yeah I do." Mal grumbled, rising to her full height as she frowned in thought. She racked her brain for someone - anyone - that could've helped Queenie during her time of need. But people on the Isle were greedy and selfish, and there were too many who would've jumped at the chance to claim someone from her group just for the sole purpose of gathering any useful information.

She was stumped.

"I'm gonna go get some air," she declared suddenly. "You coming?"

"Pass," the princess muttered with a small shrug. Even if she was allowed to leave her den, she wouldn't be able to. The outburst she'd had, along with her minor breakdown, had certainly done a number on the little princess.

"Alright," sighed Mal, slightly reluctant to leave Queenie on her own. She really didn't want to leave the princess when she was in such a state, but she couldn't exactly force her to leave the den if she didn't want to. Either way, Mal knew she needed to take a trip to Lady Tremaine's place, and maybe a little bit of sleep would do the princess some good.

The blonde-haired V.K. reached out and took Queenie's hands, ignoring the large flinch Queenie gave at the touch, and pulled the princess to her feet. She stored that little act the back of her mind, and settled on helping Queenie stumble her way towards the old couch.

"I'm gonna head out for a bit," she told Queenie once the princess was curled up on the couch. "I have some things to do."

Queenie gave a small hum in reply, carefully taking the offered blanket from Mal with a timid smile. She yawned and her eyelids fluttered closed, a flow of exhaustion hitting her body as soon as she was in a comfortable position.

As soon as Queenie's breathing evened out, Mal left the den, her mind flashing with a million thoughts as she jogged down the stairs. She had to find out who Queenie's new 'friend' was, and she had to do it fast.

~...~...~

The daughter of Maleficent stood to her feet and turned toward the pathetic excuse of a mirror. She bent over and stared at herself in the oddly-shaped shards of glass to see just how big of a change baby-Tremaine had done to her appearance.

The blonde with purple tips had been completely covered with a neon shade of pink-purple, the strands now completely straightened and cutting just below her shoulders, instead of hanging down to her waist. She honestly hadn't ever considered bangs, but they framed her face rather well and - if possible - enhanced the green in her eyes.

She looked every inch an Isle-Girl, and she loved it.

"Hey! There I am!" she exclaimed happily. Mal stood straight and turned to see a beaming Dizzy, the youngster overwhelmingly pleased at how well her first official 'make-over' had gone.

"Voila!" the young girl said cheerfully.

Mal grinned and reached into her jeans, pulling out a few notes and handing them to the youngest Tremaine.

"For me?!" the little one gasped with astonishment, clutching the bills to her chest as if it was pure gold.

"Yeah, you earned it," assured Mal, amusement shining in her eyes as she watched Dizzy skip towards the register with the money in hand. "Uh, Dizzy?" she asked slowly, flicking a fussy strand of hair back over her shoulder.

"Yup?"

"I kind'a need to ask you something," she began, her arms coming across her chest as she leaned against the dye-covered pillar behind her.

The youngest Tremaine stopped behind the register, her once-beaming smile fading into a small frown. She looked down at the money, her fingers flicking through the bills before she looked at Mal again. "It's about Queenie, isn't it?"

Mal moved away from the wall and straightened her posture, her eyes narrowing in on baby-Tremaine. She had planned on asking if the little one knew about anything that'd happened to the princess, the small thought approaching her mind once she remembered Evie mentioning that she and Queenie had visited the salon on more than one occasion. But with the way Dizzy was acting, practically jumping from nerves and hesitant to put the money in the register, which she should have done by now, Mal had a feeling there was more to it.

"Uh, yeah," the purple-haired girl said finally, realising the little one had been anxiously awaiting a reply. "Yeah it is. What happened to her?"

"Is she okay?!" the youngest Tremaine yelled agitatedly, and Mal cursed as she flinched at the little one's loud voice. "Is she hurt? Tell me she's okay, please!"

"Slow down, kid," said Mal, her head practically aching from the questions Dizzy had just fired at her. "Just tell me what happened," she implored, quieting her voice in the hopes Dizzy would do the same. After all the last thing either girl needed was Lady Tremaine stomping her way downstairs to find out what all the shouting was about.

"I was scared, okay? He came in here and told me that we'd both get hurt if I didn't do it. You have to believe me Mal, Queenie's my friend and I didn't think he'd hurt her-"

"Dizzy!" the daughter of Maleficent exclaimed, interrupting the little one's rather cryptic explanation. It was beginning to annoy her how no one seemed to be saying this guys name. It was all she really needed to determine how much trouble Queenie had stumbled into, and how hard it would be to get her only remaining Isle 'friend' back on her side. "Who hurt Queenie?"

"I-I-" the little Tremaine stuttered over her own words as she attempted to tell Mal just _who_ Queenie had been running around with, but she barely had the chance.

"Fork it over ya runt."

Dizzy flinched and turned away from Mal, her head kept low as she handed the money she'd been given over to Harry, slowly shuffling from foot to foot as he stared her down.

"And the rest of it," the pirate said pointedly, lightly tapping his hook against the register. He placed the bills he had between his lips, holding out his hand for the money Queenie had let Dizzy keep only hours before.

Mal watched the exchange with nothing short of complete exasperation. She'd been so close to getting an answer from Dizzy before he barged his way into the salon, and she was hardly patient.

Instead of speaking up, since he obviously hadn't paid enough attention to actually see her, Mal decided to slowly scrutinize her old 'enemy' for the time being. He hadn't changed one bit. His attire remained the same and, much to her entertainment, he was still carrying around the cheap knock-off of his father's original hook, The only thing that had really changed was the fact he was now the one collecting payment from the Tremaine's, since Mal's mother had been the one to do so when they were all on the Isle.

Harry took the money from Dizzy and turned around, heading back out just as quickly as he'd come in. But while Mal knew she should have let him go so she could finish her important conversation with Dizzy, she couldn't help but say something. Screwing with him had always been so easy and fun for her, and she couldn't pass up such an opportunity.

"Still running errands for Uma? Or do you actually get to keep what you steal?" she finally called, a large part of her enjoying the way he froze at the sound of her voice.

"Well, well, well," the hook-wielding pirate drawled, slowly spinning around with the money in his hand. He gave Mal a small once-over, unable to conceal just how flabbergasted he was at her return. "What a nice surprise."

"Hi Harry," she greeted with a small nod.

"Just _wait_ until Uma hears you're back." Harry grinned and sauntered toward her, looking her over once again. "She's never gonna give ya back yer old territory."

"Oh." Mal sighed in mock-disappointment, her eyes rolling skyward as she paused. She'd guessed that, from Harry's appearance alone, Uma had been the one to take over her old 'hunting grounds', as it were. And she had to admit a tiny part of her was rather impressed. She hadn't ever thought the small shrimp would have had it in her to accomplish such a thing, and despite the small hindrance it just meant that, when she eventually re-claimed her old territory, the victory would be even sweeter. Mal had never once lost anything to Uma and this time was no different.

"Well that's okay," she assured him with a shrug. "Because I will be _taking_ it."

 _'After you find out who has Queenie,'_ Mal's inner-voice pointed out, reminding the V.K. of the real reason she'd stayed in the salon after having her hair dealt with.

The first mate swallowed and raised his chin, his eyes following his hook as he dragged it through Mal's newly-coloured tresses. "I could hurt you."

With quick reflexes she hadn't quite used in a short while, Mal gripped his wrist as he removed his hook from her hair, stunning the boy in front of her. She kept eye contact with Harry, a small smirk crossing her face at his reaction as she took the now-tasteless gum from her mouth and stuck it securely to the point of his hook.

"Not without Uma's permission I bet," she taunted as she pouted her lips, a tingle of satisfaction erupting in her body as Harry's eyes hardened at her statement.

It wasn't a secret on the Isle that Captain Hook was disappointed in his son's position as first mate. After all, it made perfect sense that the famous Captain would want his children to follow in his footsteps. But, for reasons Mal didn't know of, Harry had somehow become a second-in-command rather than a leader. It didn't seem to affect him in any way, since he did pretty much whatever he wanted no matter what, but Mal had always loved to torment him with the fact.

Harry said nothing at her words, instead giving the former Isle ruler a small nod. He stalked backward and toward the door, sticking Mal's old gum into his own mouth as he did so, and swept all of the items near the register onto the floor in - in Mal's own opinion - a pathetic display of anger.

When he was gone from the salon, Mal blinked herself back into focus, once again swaying herself back to the matter at hand.

"Anyway," she sighed, coming forward toward Dizzy. "What was it you wanted to tell me?"

Dizzy stopped and looked up, abandoning her current task of sweeping up the mess Harry had made to answer Mal's question. "I didn't think he'd hurt her," she muttered guiltily, slowly cleaning up the shards of glass. "Is she okay?"

Mal hesitated to answer, and Dizzy's small eyes flickered upward, a look of utter devastation on the little one's face. Whatever it was that had gone down between Queenie, Dizzy, and the mysterious guy Mal still didn't know the name of, it must've been something big. And it must have been the reason one side of Queenie's face now sported a large and purple bruise.

"She's fine," lied Mal, and Dizzy's face visibly lit up at the information. "She's just sleeping." A small, white lie was much better than the painful truth Mal had to hide. She knew full well that Queenie was far from 'okay': She was everything but. However, the daughter of Maleficent had gone through some changes over in Auradon, and the kindness she knew she still had somewhere inside of her restrained her from causing any more pain to Dizzy.

"So who's this guy?" the purple-haired girl asked curiously.

"How don't you know yet?!" the little Tremaine yelled incredulously, and Mal cursed and rolled her eyes as she jumped.

"Know what?" she groaned with annoyance, stomping her foot as a petulant child would. But how was she to blame? She hadn't been around in a while and no one seemed to want to tell her who Queenie's mysterious 'saviour' was.

"I don't really know much. I only know bits and pieces. Queenie tells me stuff, but she doesn't tell me everything. And people like to talk when you're doing their hair-"

"Dizzy! Tell me!" demanded Mal. Her worries about Lady Tremaine were long gone. Now, she just wanted to know who Queenie was hanging around with, and who his parent was. Everyone could be bargained with; Even the original villains.

Dizzy grimaced and picked up the broken pieces she'd swept into a small pile, dumping them unceremoniously onto the counter. "I-It's... um... Harry."

The little one's words were barely audible, but the salon was quiet and Mal, thankfully, had better hearing than most. "Harry?!" the V.K. repeated with disbelief, her eyes widening as Dizzy nodded. "Harry Hook? As in the guy I just insulted? That Harry?"

"Yes!" cried Dizzy, throwing her head back in aggravation. "I don't know how it happened, or why it happened, but yes."

"I, uh, have to go." Mal huffed, half-heartedly waving a hand at the youngest Tremaine as she left the salon.

"Say 'hi' to Queenie for me!"

Mal heard Dizzy's request loud and clear, but it went straight through one ear and out the other. She still couldn't get her head around the idea of Harry being the one to save Queenie. When she thought of whoever it was that helped the princess, she'd imagined a minor villain, someone she didn't care to know the name of. Someone she could easily take down.

Harry was on a much higher level. If he was the one that had helped Queenie, and he was the one her friend felt so indebted to, then that must have meant that Queenie was a part of Uma's crew. But if that was the case, then why hadn't Queenie run off to tell Uma the minute Mal arrived on the Isle? It didn't make sense.

 _'Unless,'_ Mal thought with a small groan. There was no way in hell Queenie was running with Uma. She wasn't wearing the usual pirate gear, and she didn't even have a sword.

The daughter of Maleficent had no idea what was going on, and that unnerved her more than anything. The only thing she knew was that Queenie was somehow tied to Harry. And if he'd had six months to break the little princess's mind and sway her onto his side, then winning her back wouldn't be as easy as she originally thought.

"Damn it Q'," the purple-haired girl muttered, picking up the pace as she rushed back to her den. "What did you do?"


	4. Chapter 4

Queenie grumbled incoherently and yawned behind her hand. She wasn't sure how long she'd slept. She could feel her eyes burning from all the tears she'd previously shed, and her head still hurt. It'd dulled considerably, but it was still there.

Much to the sixteen year-old's relief, her sleep had been a nightmare-less one. She usually woke multiple times during the night, having to wonder the den for an hour or two before eventually lulling her mind back into rest. And so the cycle repeated. It was a wonder she ever had the energy to go on runs with Gil during the day, but she knew well enough that her time spent with Gil was one of the only things able to soothe her violent memories, especially since she'd stopped listening to the mix-tape Evie had made her when they were living on the Isle.

 _'Oh shit.'_

Queenie shot up a little too quickly, as once she'd moved to her feet she had to instantly sit back down and wait for the black-spots in her vision and the sudden headache to go away.

"The people love you. I love you." An unfamiliar, male voice declared gently.

Queenie stiffened. She knew Mal was back, and just having Mal in the den was enough to send her anxiousness into overdrive. She wouldn't be able to cope with all four returning. But the voice she heard didn't register in her mind. She had no idea who it was, and that worrying thought was enough to get her moving, despite the dizziness.

"Don't you love me?" The voice continued.

Queenie cautiously turned her head, hoping to locate the owner of the seemingly kind voice. Thankfully, it wasn't too hard. In front of her stood Mal and a young, handsome teenager she almost didn't recognize. It was only after a moment of staring did she realise just who he was, and how much trouble she'd be in if Harry, Uma even, found out she was letting them into her home.

"I have to take myself out of the picture, because it's what's best for you, and what's best for Auradon." Mal told him apologetically, placing something Queenie couldn't see into the palm of his hand.

"Mal, please." The King pleaded, taking a quick step towards the purple-haired girl.

"Ben," Mal sighed wistfully, taking a small step away from him. "I can't do this."

Queenie almost felt terrible for watching. Almost. She was more intrigued than anything. She'd never seen Mal look so...broken. The VK she'd known before would've never let anyone, much less some guy, get so close. She wouldn't even be as quiet as she was now. The old Mal would've shouted, screamed, even fought. If Queenie's assumptions had been unconfirmed before, then she was certain now. Auradon _had_ changed Maleficent's daughter.

"You should go Ben." Mal said, moving back towards the large drawing she'd been touching up. When it appeared that the young King had absolutely no intention of moving, Mal turned to him once again. "Ben, please go, please leave." She was practically begging now, and Queenie stayed where she was, a thoughtful gaze upon her face.

Only when 'Ben' took the hint and left the den did Queenie make herself known. She turned and leaned against the back of the couch, resting her head on her palm. "What did he mean?" She asked quizzically, making the other girl jump in fright.

"I left Auradon. I don't fit in there, it's too complicated." Mal sighed, shaking the paint can as she attempted to pick up where she'd left off.

Queenie shook her head, her bangs falling into her face as she did so. "Not that." She said, pushing the irritating strands away with her left hand. "What he said before. I love you? What does that mean?" She clarified.

What Queenie hadn't planned on was Mal's reaction to her innocent question. The girl completely stopped what she was doing and looked back over her shoulder, her mouth moving as though she were attempting to find the words to explain what the King had said. But instead of an answer, Queenie found Mal was staring back at her with an almost unreadable mixture of emotion. Her eyes watered, as if she was sad, and Queenie just put that down to her having fought with her 'boyfriend'. How was Queenie to know that Mal's emotional state wasn't only due to Ben's appearance, but Queenie's sudden announcement that she had absolutely no idea what being 'in-love' meant?

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Queenie demanded suddenly, her relaxed stature melting away into apprehensiveness. "Is it bad?" She added as an afterthought, searching her mind for the term 'Love', and finding nothing.

"No. No it's not bad." Mal lightly objected, turning away in an effort to calm Queenie. She'd only been in Auradon for six months, and even though it felt like years she'd adjusted to the new feelings Ben had shown her. She'd forgotten that very few on the Isle even knew what love was, much less the word itself. "I-It's like," Mal shook the bottle in her hand, attempting to find the words. "I can't explain it, Q'. It's an emotion. You can't tell someone what love is, they have to feel it for themselves."

Queenie nodded in slight-understanding. "One more thing Auradon has that we don't." She muttered bitterly, averting her gaze towards the window.

"M'? Mal it's Evie. Just let me talk to you for a second." A feminine voice called through the speaker near the door.

While Mal immediately rushed towards the sound, Queenie stayed still. If Evie was back, then surely the others had come as well. They'd come for Mal. They'd come for Mal, who'd only been away from Auradon for a day, and not her?

Queenie put a hand to her chest. It was back.

"Go away!" She heard Mal yell.

The former villain came back in, and Queenie stared at her. "They're here for you?" It was a statement more than a question, though her voice made it seem as though it were the latter.

"Uh-huh." Mal grumbled, pouting as she flopped down onto the couch beside the Red Queen's daughter.

Clearly Mal wasn't too concerned with Queenie's question, she didn't even blink. Even if Mal could feel Queenie's stares she didn't turn her head. She looked ahead at the window, her eyes rolling around as though she were thinking of other things.

It was then that Queenie finally accepted it for good. They didn't give two shits about her. Mal had only returned to the Isle to escape the pressures that surely came with being a King's girlfriend. She hadn't come to see how Queenie was, or to take her back to Auradon. Mal was _staying,_ and the others weren't any better. They'd only come to retrieve Mal. Queenie was certain that if Mal had chosen to leave with them, and not told them that she was there, then they'd have happily carried on. They would have left her there...again.

She had to find Harry. She didn't care that she was still on house-arrest until he said otherwise, as she was sure he'd forgive her this once. _He_ knew what seeing the core-four would do to her. _He_ knew everything she'd gone through when they left. _He_ had listened and taken her under his wing when no one else did. It didn't matter that her face was bruised because of him, or that her head hurt every time she forgot it was there and accidentally poked it. It was _Harry_ that had picked her up when she was lying limp on the floor that night five months ago. It was _Harry_ that had gotten her a job in Uma's mother's shop and convinced the teal-haired girl that Queenie was still of some use.

"I have to go." Queenie muttered towards Mal. She didn't know if the girl heard her or not. She didn't really care. All she knew was that only one person could make her feel just a little bit better, and she knew exactly where he'd be.

It didn't take her long. After she'd pulled on her slightly-worn, heeled boots and grabbed her jacket, Queenie quickly left the den. Her mind shouted at her as she quickly descended the stairs. She had to find Harry, apologize for not coming sooner, and make sure he knew that she wasn't going against him.

An act much easier said than done, she realised, as she saw what was waiting on the other side of the gate. Though it was not so much of a what, as it was a who.

Three 'who's' to be exact.

They seemed excited at first, and for a moment Queenie tricked herself into thinking that happiness was because of her. But the minute their expressions fell into one of annoyance, her mothers voice, slightly mixed with Harry's accented one, laughed in her mind.

 _'They thought you were Mal.'_

"Shut the hell up." Queenie mumbled, a half-hearted attempt at keeping the voices at bay. They only appeared when she was at her worst, but she had more pressing matters to attend to this time.

"Hey, could you-"

Queenie froze, much like the muscled boy on the other side of the gate had when he realized who she was.

"Jay, what is it?" Another male voice asked. This one was higher than the other, and like before Queenie recognized it immediately.

"I-It's-"

"Guys, where's Ben?" Carlos asked, his voice clear with worry. It was enough to take Jay's attention away from her, after a second or two of deciding which was more important.

Apparently, it was the King.

"Ben!" Queenie heard Evie shout, and she peeked through the holes in the fencing to see them better. "Don't scare us like that." The blue-haired girl scolded.

"Don't scare you?" A new voice, that most certainly wasn't Ben, teased. "But that's my speciality."

 _'Harry,'_ Queenie's inner-self told her. His voice was the only one that could both soothe her into a state of relaxation, and terrify her with just one sentence.

"Harry." Evie gasped.

"What did you do with Ben?" Jay demanded.

Queenie pressed herself further against the fence, her thin fingers wrapped around the holes as if it were the only thing keeping her on her feet. She couldn't completely force herself to look at the three former VK's, and for the time being Harry was someone she'd much rather see.

"Oh, uh, we nicked him." The pirate explained lightly. "And if you want to see him again, have Mal come to the chip shop tonight." He said, nodding up towards their den. "Alone." He added with warning, though his voice changed again in a split second. "Uma wants a little visit."

The VK's stayed quiet, and Queenie wanted to say something, but a part of her didn't want the attention.

"Aww, Jay." Harry mock-pouted, eyeing the boy with some amusement. "Seems like you've lost yer touch."

When Jay frowned and moved towards Harry, Evie had to quickly pull him back. Even Queenie knew it was a ridiculous thing to try and do. Uma had the King, and she was fiercely protective over Harry. If any harm came to the first-mate, then surely the same would be inflicted upon Ben.

Harry turned to leave and Queenie felt her heart drop. He was going to leave her there?

"Oh!" The pirate suddenly chuckled, swiftly coming back around as though he'd forgotten something very important. "I can't believe I almost forgot." He said towards the VK's, as if they were old friends sharing an old joke.

"Forgot what?" Jay gritted, firmly crossing his arms across his chest as they all moved away from the travelling teen.

Queenie's hopes were slightly restored as she watched Harry giggle at the three, smoothly sliding his way over to where she stood, his back leaning against the fence. He didn't seem too eager to have his back turned to them just quite yet.

"I came for ma wee princess." Harry told them, his head tilting to the right so that he could see her. "Eyes on me, ye hear?" He told her quietly, and Queenie nodded.

"You came for me?" She asked hopefully, a small, timid smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"O' course I did." Harry tutted, rolling his eyes as though the very idea of her doubting him was insane. "Now how about you come outta that cage, yeah?"

Queenie took a deep breath and turned her head, keeping her eyes trained on the floor as she moved. She was partly grateful Harry had warned her away from looking at the trio, it made not doing it a lot easier than before.

Once she'd pushed the small red button hidden just at the bottom of the door, it lifted. She wanted to leave. She _really_ did. But the den was her safe place.

 _'Not anymore,'_ Her mom's voice taunted in her mind. _'Not now that they're back.'_

For a few minutes, Harry was her mirror. He moved when she did and made sure that he was the only one she could see when she left the building itself. He didn't have to try too hard, though. He was tall, much taller than she was, and he wasn't skinny either. His large frame acted as a shield, a way to hide her from the very people she'd once looked up to.

"Q'?" It was Evie.

"Yer doin' so well, princess." Harry praised, and Queenie nodded. She knew what he was doing. He knew what his voice did to her, and Evie's soft, motherly tone was nothing compared to his.

"Queenie please." The Evil Queen's daughter begged.

"Harry," Queenie whispered. The pirate only shook his head and she had her answer. No talking. No looking.

"Almost there darlin'." He reassured, his eyes flickering to the people behind her, his features twisting so that Queenie couldn't get a good enough read on him.

"Queenie!"

The girl froze then. It wasn't Evie that attempted to sway her, or even Carlos. It was Jay.

"Look at me Queenie. You _owe me._ Remember?"

Those three words sparked something in her and, for a moment, she faltered. Her hazel eyes searched out Harry's, and by the way he narrowed them down at her she knew he was daring her to turn from him.

Queenie wasn't stupid. Absent-minded and sometimes naive, maybe. But she was _not_ an idiot. If she defied Harry so openly she'd surely pay for it later, if the bruise that covered her cheek was anything to go by. But Jay's words triggered her hidden temper. She _owed_ him?! Who did he think he was?! He'd taken her away from the only home she knew, tempting her with the power and control her mom had once had. But it'd been merely an illusion. She wasn't feared, she wasn't powerful. Not after she learned how things worked on the Isle and why they'd been put there in the first place. After that her world had been twist-turned upside down. Sure, they'd taken her in once her mom found out about them and kicked her out for playing with the 'riff-raff', but she'd done so much more for them. She'd let them take over her treasured den to keep them happy, to give them a way out from the ways of the Isle for a small time. She'd done everything they asked of her. Whether it be stealing, lying or degrading another person; She'd done it. So for him to stand there now and say that she owed him, after everything they'd put her through, was laughable.

For the last time, Queenie would give him what he wanted. For the last time, she would do what he asked. And she hoped he realised just how much trouble she'd put herself into just by doing it.

"I don't owe you shit!" She yelled, startling the trio as she turned so quickly. "It was _you_ that left _me._ Remember?" She spoke with vigour. "You told me you'd come back for me. Remember?!" Queenie shoved him, surprised at the balls she'd suddenly grown. "You were supposed to be my friends."

"Queenie we are. We are your friends." Evie assured her.

"No you're not. You never were!" She told the blue-haired girl before returning her rage to the very person who'd pulled it from her in the first place. "You don't get to tell me that I owe you. Not after what you did." Of all the VK's, she'd looked up to Jay the most. He'd taken her in, so he'd been the one to teach her everything they had to offer. She trusted him. It wasn't a mistake she was going to make again.

"Queenie," Jay sighed. He seemed to feel it, that chest-numbing pain she'd felt so many times at their hand. But Queenie knew he wouldn't ever feel like that, not because of her anyway.

"I can't forgive you." Her voice broke. Her anger was quickly fading into overwhelming sorrow. "I can't."

"Time ta go princess." Harry said from behind her. He didn't sound angry with her, but Queenie couldn't be sure.

"I'm done here anyway."

Queenie didn't flinch when Harry touched her. For the first time in a while she let him firmly take hold of her waist and turn her till she faced him again.

"We're gonna go to the ship, alright?" He said with a clear tone, and Queenie nodded. She always did wonder why people talked to her like that after her tantrums. Like they were speaking to another person.

"I'm tired, Harry." She said, her eyelids drooping as she stared at his coat-covered chest.

"I know ma little princess." Harry told her, his hook hovering over the bruise on her face.

"She's not a possession, Harry." Queenie heard Evie say. "And she's not yours."

"Hold on, darlin'."

Queenie closed her eyes. She could only feel now. She felt Harry's hands get a good grip on her thighs as he pulled, lifting her into the air as though she weighed nothing. Though it was partly true. She barely ate any more, only eating when Harry felt it necessary to force food and drink down her throat. But she hadn't eaten at all that day, which would certainly explain her growing fatigue.

Queenie used whatever strength she had left to wrap her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, her head falling into the space between his neck and shoulder. The last time he'd held her like he did, she'd been much the same. Her head hurt, her throat was scratchy, and she was so tired. The only thing that made the current situation different was that her body was no longer littered with bruises and cuts.

"Oh, she may not be a possession." Queenie could hear Harry speaking, but his voice was fading. A crucial point she missed was the satisfied, mischievous grin he gave her old friends. "But she is mine."

* * *

 **AN**

 **Okay, so, I was severely disappointed with the last chapter. It seemed like more of a filler than anything else and I'll be kicking myself over it for the next day or two. Hopefully this was one was better. There was more Harry/Queenie here and there will be a lot more in the coming chapters now that she's left with him.**

 **Please leave a review or even PM me to let me know how you guys are finding it as feedback is always appreciated. Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN**

 **First things first, thank you guys for all the reviews, favourites and follows. It means so much that so many of you enjoy the story. Big thanks to the last anonymous reviewer, whoever you are. I absolutely LOVE super long reviews, especially when it shows that people pay such close attention and try to suss out little things that could happen/have happened.**

 **The story will be focussing on different people during the story. Obviously Queenie's point of view will pop up more so than the others as she's the main focus of this fic. There will also be flashbacks/memories during this chapter and maybe a few afterwards.**

 **Anyway, enough from me. I really hope you guys like this chapter, remember to give me feedback at the end. Thanks!**

* * *

The 3D printer whirred to life and set a slow pace, re-creating the Fairy Godmother's wand in a precise fashion. It would take a while.

Jay and Carlos both flopped down into their comfy blue chairs, both watching the machine though their minds were elsewhere. Carlos thought more about the plan, recreating multiple scenarios in his mind. He tried to remember his way around the docks, but having not explored much of that area during his time on the Isle it was a little fuzzy.

Jay also thought about what they'd do, but his thoughts also drifted. He couldn't forget the look on Queenie's face when she turned on him. She was so angry and hurt and a mixture of a lot more. He knew she'd be angry with them, he'd expected that. He'd prepared for it, even. The only thing that threw him completely was how adamant she was on how they'd never been there for her, that they'd never truly been her friends.

He couldn't deny that, at first, they hadn't been. He'd only found her by pure coincidence. Jay had been sent by his dad to retrieve something, a very specific something if he remembered it right. A beautiful, heart-shaped red gem attached to a golden chain. He hadn't given it a single thought, still didn't at the present time. His dad was always sending him for possibly-valuable things...usually lamps, and that time was no different. What his father hadn't told him, however, was that the necklace he was after was around the neck of a pretty little princess.

Jay lightly chuckled to himself. His flirtatious attempts had flown straight over Queenie's head. She'd demanded to know why he was there, who he was and how he got through her 'guards'. He'd lied at the beginning, tried to tell her that he came into the wrong house by accident. She hadn't taken that well. She'd thrown a huge tantrum, even stomped her foot like little kids did when he took their candy, threatening that once her mom came back she'd have his head taken off. Queenie had really been a feisty one back then.

Only when he realised that trying to seduce the princess would get him nowhere did he offer friendship instead. He'd asked about her life, about her mother and how it was living where they did. And she'd told him _everything._ Queenie had been practically bragging about how important they were. It wasn't until he asked if her mom had gone to the market did he realise she had no idea what he was talking about. _That_ was what caught him the most. At least everyone else on the Isle knew exactly why they were stuck there and what it was like, they weren't sucked into a false sense of security like Queenie was. Her mom had lied to her. She'd told her that she couldn't leave the house because it was unsafe, which was partly true, just not in the way Queenie had been led to believe. Despite being the Queen of Hearts, it seemed the ruthless woman had been taking notes from Mother Gothel. Locking her daughter away in a tower, keeping her trapped with fear. Though it did explain why Jay had to bust through boarded-up windows to get in.

It wasn't the first time Jay had felt sorry for someone on the Isle. Usually he pushed that feeling away, telling himself that it was just the way things were, but Queenie was different. So he'd offered to take her out and, after a lot of convincing and pleading on his part, she'd agreed.

The expression on her face that day was something he never forgot. She'd seemed so sad and disappointed. She'd asked him why her mother's people were being treated so badly when her mom had told her countless times that they were happy with their ruling, and Jay had been the one to break it to her that they weren't _her_ people. They were prisoners on an Island because of their parents and she was no different to them. He saw an immense change in her that day. After that time, and every other time he visited when she asked, she no longer seemed to brag about her status, or raise her nose at him when he talked. She _changed._ He'd hoped that this had woken something in Queenie, a sudden urge for her to go and dominate the Isle like they had in their own way.

She didn't. Queenie stayed with her mother, doing whatever it was she did when he wasn't there, and when he showed up he'd take her wherever she wanted to go. It was during one of their 'travels' that they found the den. She wanted to explore the old apartment block, her curiosity leading her before rational thought. He'd found a way in, like always, and after finding nothing but empty, unusable spaces they finally made it to the last floor. It wasn't much better, but it was safely holding itself together and Queenie had almost immediately claimed it as her own, despite both of them having found it.

"What're you thinkin' about?"

Jay jumped as Carlos nudged his arm. "Uh...nothin'." He said back, rolling his eyes as he realised the printer had barely even started.

"Don't lie to me. What's wrong?" The smaller boy pressed.

"I'm thinking about-" Jay stopped, turning to see Carlos eagerly awaiting his reply. He wouldn't judge him for thinking about her. She might have turned against them, but they'd turned on her first. "Queenie." He finished with a small sigh.

Carlos stuttered for a moment before settling on a quiet 'Oh'. "I didn't really know her that well." He shrugged, sounding slightly annoyed with himself at the thought. "She was always there but...not there. You know what I mean?" He said, and Jay nodded in understanding. "She was always so quiet. You knew her better, what was she like?"

"Amazing." Jay said fondly. "She was always thinking too hard about something, though, like there was always something on her mind. She wanted to know everything about everyone, it was exhausting." He earned himself a small chuckle from Carlos. "She wanted to come here," He stated, his own smile turning to a frown. "She always said Auradon looked prettier and happier than the Isle, which is true I guess."

"You guys were close, huh?" Carlos noted. At Jay's nod he continued speaking. "Why would she turn on us like that? I thought we were friends, or at least closer than strangers." He said, brows furrowed in thought.

"I don't know." Jay muttered.

"I mean, she must have known you were thinking about her. You wrote her all those letters."

Jay straightened and whipped his head in his friends direction. "You knew about that?!" He exclaimed.

Carlos smirked and his face twisted into an expression that said 'Really?'. "Of course I knew, I'm a light sleeper and you've gotten clumsy." He teased, and Jay relaxed when he realised he wouldn't be too badly taunted for it. "Plus, Jane told me. She was on post duty I guess and she thought I knew." He added.

"I writ to her for a month, solid. She never wrote back so I stopped trying, plus I got so caught up with the guys and everything else." Jay explained, and Carlos hummed in understanding.

"Why do you think she didn't write back?"

Jay shrugged and simply said, "I have absolutely no idea."

~...~...~

Harry reluctantly wandered below deck, a frown on his face and a faraway gaze in his eyes. Uma wanted Queenie up on deck. It was strange, since the daughter of Ursula usually took whatever reason she could to get the girl off the ship. The teal-haired pirate only ever found use in Queenie when she had other things to do, and needed someone to cover her shift at the chip shop.

Harry was, and would never admit to anyone, worried. They had the King tied up nicely, everyone impatiently waiting for the VK's to arrive with their weapons at the ready should Gil see the four traitors, so Harry saw absolutely no need for Uma to want Queenie up top. The princess couldn't fight, having never been taught, and from past experience Harry knew better than anyone that she was severely lacking in the survival-instincts department. So what did his captain want with her?

Harry took a deep breath and then exhaled, hoping the strong ocean air would calm his ever-erratic temper. It didn't.

"Bloody princess." He spat. He wondered if the appearance of the former villains had startled something in Uma. Maybe she thought that Queenie was somehow conspiring with the four, what with them having been so close back in the day. Even Harry's normal methods of calming the little sea witch had absolutely no effect. Sure, Queenie could be stupid, but she wasn't _that_ stupid.

 _'Then again,'_ Harry thought to himself, Queenie was quite the tricky one nowadays. She was always with Gil, the two were practically sewn together, but the son of Gaston was always too quick to tell if someone was plotting, and he was especially talkative if he thought it was of some importance to Uma. They would know if Queenie was up to something with him around.

The incident with the little Tremaine brat had shaken Harry considerably. Queenie was willing to lie to him, to face being 'hooked', just so the little runt could keep some stupid money. _She_ turned on _him._ After everything he'd done for her the Princess of Hearts had still decided to put someone else first, and he just couldn't have that. He'd punished her well, if the lingering mark was anything to go by, and he couldn't deny the jolt of slightly-sadistic satisfaction he felt whenever he saw it. Queenie would never go against him again, he was sure of it.

Harry didn't think of himself as completely cold-hearted. He liked Queenie, he did. But sometimes she did ridiculous things, and when that happened she needed a small reminder of just who was in charge.

Fear kept everyone else on board in line, why should she be any different?

 _'But she is different.'_ He thought. Queenie wasn't his usual target. Harry usually searched out the worst women on the Isle, enjoying the chase far too much to give it up completely. Even now he stayed the same. Uma was his favourite by far. She was _strong._ What she lacked in strength and height she made up for in manipulation and leadership qualities. With all the rest of the kids on the Isle running around trying to imitate or impress their parents, himself sometimes included, Uma strayed far from that cliché. She didn't do what she did for her mother, she did it for herself and her crew, knowing that it wasn't just Queenie that felt inferior once Mal and the others were taken to Auradon. They all were. She'd always planned to find a way to free them from the Isle, and now she had the means to do just that. He knew she would never give in to him, but he enjoyed the challenge either way.

Queenie was Uma's opposite. Though Queenie was almost everyone's opposite. She was a shy little thing, only speaking when spoken to and doing whatever they told her to do. She didn't have the confidence a girl in her position should have had, and she never tried anything with anyone having had the fear drilled into her mind repeatedly before he even came along. But she should have changed _by now._ It almost irritated him how tame she was. He would protect her from anyone, as he'd promised, so even if she did get into an altercation with someone on the Isle, he'd back her up just because she'd finally shown some initiative. As long as it didn't bring too much trouble to their side of the Isle, Harry would firmly stand behind her, if only to see the meek little thing he'd met become the vicious princess he always knew she could be.

That hope dwindled with each passing day. She was still so polite, saying 'please' and 'thank you' whenever the situation presented itself. She still looked down at the ground or her hands when she was walking, her mind simply refusing to let her do anything but. And the one thing that annoyed him the most was that she was still putting herself out for the lesser being. The situation with the Tremaine salon was a shining example. Queenie had a large heart, no matter how hard she may have tried to hide it, and he knew there would always be someone there ready to take advantage of the fact with a small, shiny dagger.

Harry growled in frustration, lightly tugging at his hair on instinct. He didn't know what he felt for Queenie. Sometimes he adored the girl, loving the way she paid close attention to whatever he was saying with a look of awe or admiration. He revelled in those moments. And then there were other moments that made him think otherwise. When she accidentally said or did something so idiotic that he wanted to grab those lovely brown locks and smash her head against the nearest wall. Whether it was talking back to him, or talking about something she did with Gil, or any time she made the mistake of mentioning the core-four around him, it was always the same. He either wanted to kiss her like his life depended on it, or hook her until she bled out on the floor. There seemed to be no in between with her.

Harry still remembered the day he found her as if it had been yesterday. She was hiding out in the tunnel leading towards the docks, and now he knew that she'd only fallen there as she'd been too tired and completely unable to get back to her den. Harry didn't even recognize her at first. Queenie's usually beautifully-kept hair had been knotted and stuck together by stains of dark red. Her right eye had been bruised, her lip was split and swollen, and even he had to admit it was the worst thing he'd ever seen. If they had to have had some kind of warning posters in Auradon that showed the true violence of life on the Isle, then Queenie would have been the picture-perfect poster girl for just that. She'd been shivering and though her eyes were closed he knew she wasn't sleeping. She'd gasped and hissed with every rise and fall of her chest and even he couldn't bring himself to leave her there without knowing anything.

 _"What the heck happened to ye?" He'd asked her, crouching down to see her better. It'd been a little hard, with it having been night and only the flickering street lights from either end of the tunnel making it the only way to see who she was._

 _"P-please." Queenie had croaked back, and Harry had to get closer to hear what she was saying. "W-whatever is it y-you're going t-to do, m-make it q-quick."_

 _Harry hadn't replied. He'd gone back to the ship, taking a quick look around to make sure no one was awake before grabbing the nearest lantern, then quickly striding back to where she was laying, wondering if she'd died during those short seconds. She hadn't, but she sure looked like she was. "Fuckin' hell darlin'." He'd gaped, lowering the lantern and seeing just how much pain had been inflicted upon the little thing._

 _Queenie had been, to put it mildly, a bloody mess. Literally. Her clothing was tattered, torn and barely hanging onto her body. Her face had been covered by her bony arms, so he hadn't looked to hard at her, instead focussing on the rest. Her shoes were long gone and even the soles of her feet were bleeding, probably from running. There wasn't a single part of her that wasn't either dripping blood or covered in some purple-bluish bruise. It was a gruesome sight, and he'd wondered who she'd pissed off badly enough to have had this done to her._

 _"What's yer name?" Harry had asked curiously. He knew that if she was on someone's shit-list, then he'd surely know who's._

 _"Q-Queenie."_

 _The realisation had hit him like a brick falling from a building. Of course he'd heard of her. Half of the villains on the Isle were looking for her, her mother included, just to show her some kind of punishment. She'd been a part of Mal's gang, a fact he only knew from talking to Uma a few days prior. Once the VK's declared their decision to choose good on the TV, the hit had been put out. They wouldn't be coming back and neither would Maleficent. Queenie was all alone and, since she was closely associated with the core-four, she'd be the one to take whatever violent plot a particular villain had dished out. Mal and the others had pissed off a good few on the Isle during their time growing up, and it didn't matter that Queenie was new to the gang, to everyone else on the Isle she was an official member. And worse, she was unprotected and alone._

 _"Ye chose the wrong friends girlie." Harry had chuckled, moving back to full height. "Ye can sleep in here, but I want ye gone by mornin', understand?"_

 _Queenie hadn't said anything back, but he'd known full well she was probably in too much pain to form a complete sentence, or even a word. So he'd left her there. He'd taken the lantern and walked away, whistling a small tune as he went. It wasn't until he reached the end of the tunnel did a certain thought drift into his mind._

 _What if it was one of his sisters? Would he want someone to leave them alone like he was doing? Of course he wouldn't. He'd fought with himself for a good ten minutes. He'd weighed the pros and cons of taking someone like Queenie under his wing, and the downsides surely outgrew the good._

 _On the other hand, though, he could have something interesting to play with. He'd been training a few newbies Uma had taken in during an effort to build up a crew, but he'd never raised someone up from something as terrible as this. If he took her in she would be his and his alone. Not Uma's, not his sisters, not his fathers; His. It had been an intriguing thought. Gil was good, sure, but like the others he'd been more dedicated to Uma than he was to Harry. Queenie would be Harry's own little 'first-mate'. Answering only to him, owing him everything, including her life._

 _Harry's formerly good-natured decision took a strange turn. When he'd thought of his sisters lying there in the tunnel instead of the little princess, he'd only been intending to fix her up and send her on her way, or at least find out where her home was and take her back. But things had changed. He thought she could be a hobby of sorts. He'd fix her, teach her how to be an Isle-girl and she'd forever be indebted to him. The thought of it grew more pleasing until, eventually, he found himself strutting back down the tunnel with a plan in mind._

 _"Ye still alive?" He'd said loudly, tapping her head with the back of his hand._

 _"Y-you're still h-here?" She'd asked with confusion._

 _Harry had smiled in a way only he could. "O' course I am. I'm gonna help ye, alright?"_

 _Queenie had peaked over her arms so that he could see her face, and Harry had fought back a grimace. "W-why?"_

 _"Ye look like ye could use a friend." He'd shrugged. "Would ye like that Queenie? A friend?"_

 _Queenie had stared at him for a moment, and he knew she'd been thinking it over. How couldn't she? The last friends she'd had completely abandoned her on an Isle full of psychos and assholes hell-bent on taking their revenge against them. He'd have judged her more if she hadn't at least debated the idea. "Y-you won't h-hurt me?" She'd asked warily._

 _"I can't promise ye that darlin'." Harry had sighed sheepishly. "But I can swear ta ye that no one else will even touch ye. How does that soun'?"_

 _"N-no one e-else will h-hurt me?"_

 _"No one else." He'd stated firmly. If she had rejected his offer, he'd do what he'd planned in the first place and take her home. But if she accepted, then he'd teach her everything he knew, and he'd turn her into something horribly wonderful._

 _Queenie had grunted and let out loud whimpers as she moved, sitting up till her back leaned against the tin wall. "Then help me." She'd demanded, and Harry grinned._

 _"O' course princess."_

 _He'd picked her up then, ignoring the way she yelped in protest as his fingers came into contact with some sort of wound. He'd known no matter what he'd hurt her, so he'd picked her up in the only way he could think of. His arms held her up without much effort, he could feel that she hadn't eaten in quite some time and knew that once he'd cleaned her up, he'd set on fixing that small predicament._

 _Queenie had latched onto him with as much strength as she could muster. Her hands latched behind his head and her own fell down onto his shoulder. For a moment he'd thought she was sleeping, but then she spoke._

 _"T-thank you." She'd whispered earnestly._

 _"Jus' remember, princess," Harry had spoke with certainty. "Yer mine from this point on. Ye ever turn against me, I'll put ye right back in that tunnel, an' I'll finish the job an' all."_

* * *

 ** _AN_**

 **Okay, so, that's the end of that chapter. Short, I know, but I felt as if any more would just throw me off track. I also felt like people needed a small insight into Harry's mind just to see how he felt about Queenie, and I really hope I nailed his point of view as I did struggle with it a bit.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

Like always, Queenie had no idea what time it was when she woke. She panicked on instinct once her eyes finally opened, the sudden realisation that she wasn't in her den sending a wave of anxiety through her small frame. It was only when the familiar smell of the ocean air came through her nostrils that she finally found the will to relax. Not completely, since she knew exactly where she'd been placed, but enough to get her moving.

Queenie groaned as she placed her boot-clad feet on the floor. She could feel multiple items of clothing and quickly kicked them away. There weren't many rooms on the ship, only four at the most. She'd never seen the other three, only Harry's. Though she did often wonder if the others were kept as messily as his was.

Queenie rubbed at her eyes and finally moved up onto her feet. She quietly observed her surroundings, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the odd odour with seemingly no source. She'd never been left in Harry's room alone before. Usually when she came, he was also with her. There was never an opportunity to go roaming on the ship when he was around, since she had to keep her eyes on him at all times. She momentarily fought the urge to go snooping, knowing it would get her in big trouble if she was caught. But she couldn't help it, the curiosity was too large to ignore.

The teen wandered the room cautiously, her eyes often glancing back at the door. She made sure not to move anything that could cause suspicion, choosing only to gently caress whatever item her fingers came into contact with. She didn't dare touch the clothes on the floor, avoiding them mostly due to the smell than anything else. One thing, however, caught her attention the most.

Queenie hadn't spotted it at first. How could she have? It was hidden under a few shirts and pants and if she wasn't on her own she never would have seen it. It was only after a few minutes of half-assed searching had she decided to really pay attention, to find something worth finding. And she had.

After reluctantly pinching up the bits of cloth covering it and throwing them to the side like they were on fire, Queenie truly noticed what it was. A chest. Just an old, rusty chest without a lock. It didn't seem like anything important, and she knew once she saw what was inside her ridiculous temptations would be satisfied and she'd finally go looking for Harry.

Queenie carefully lifted the lid and it creaked. She jumped and looked towards the door, closing her eyes as she attempted to listen for anyone that may have come for her. Only when satisfied that she was safe did she lift completely, deciding that throwing the thing open would ease the tension better than doing it slowly would have.

She was slightly disappointed. All she found were blank pieces of paper and some writing utensils, mostly worn down pencils. She decided to dig further. There was a nagging voice in the back of her mind telling her that all wasn't as it appeared, and for once she found that the voice wasn't her mom's or Harry's. It was her own.

Queenie stuck one hand into the chest, her other holding the lid up against the wall so that it didn't come banging down on her fingers. She rattled around for a moment or two, pushing past the paper and uncomfortable other items digging into her palm as she snooped. Her search came to an abrupt halt when her fingers came into contact with a cold, light object. Queenie tugged and the chain jingled as she pulled it from the wooden box, her eyes gradually widening with each part revealed to her hungry gaze.

When she saw what it was she almost wanted to throw it back, close the box and forget she'd ever looked. She'd lost this very thing months ago. Her heart stopped and she felt as though she might throw up.

It was her necklace. She'd been given it as a gift on her thirteenth birthday by her mother. She'd been told it held an unimaginable amount of power in her mothers homeland. It was a treasured heirloom and she remembered how excited and proud she was that her mom had given her something so precious. She never took it off after putting it on. Even after being thrown out by her mom she kept it, thinking of it as a good-luck charm and something to keep her tied to both her mother, and wherever she truly came from.

Queenie vividly remembered the day she'd 'lost' it. It wasn't an interesting tale. One minute it was there and the next time she reached to touch the ruby-red gem she found it was no longer around her neck. She'd re-traced her steps with such a clear mind that day, her eyes desperately searching the floor in the hopes of finding it again. But she never did. The Isle's best thief was off in Auradon, so it couldn't have been him, and Jafar had gone into hiding with the Evil Queen and Cruella after Maleficent was defeated. Plus, they wouldn't have had any reason to take it. She had absolutely no idea who could have picked it up and the first person she went to was Harry. She was _devastated_. Queenie had even cried in front of him, going as far as to beg for him to help her find it. Obviously he'd had better things to do. All Harry did was tell her that it was useless, that it wasn't as lucky as she thought since she'd been put through so much, and that forgetting where she came from was the best thing for her, since there was no way she'd be able to leave the Isle.

 _'Did he have it all this time?'_ She wondered, clenching her eyes shut at the very thought of him keeping something so important from her. _'No,'_ Queenie inwardly scolded herself. _'He wouldn't do that to you.'_

Queenie's mind became quite erratic then. She rummaged through her messed-up head, trying to find a good enough reason for Harry not to have told her about the necklace, but much to her horror, she couldn't find one.

Taking a deep breath, Queenie turned back to the now-dreaded chest. She was more careful this time with her search, she was desperate to know if there was something else in the box that belonged to her. She didn't know of anything else Harry could have, but the boy was cunning and could be the nastiest person she'd ever met when pushed to his limits. She just had to know, it would drive her mad otherwise.

Had she not seen the necklace, she may not have taken more notice of the pieces of paper stacked inside the chest. Some were blank, yes. But others, she realised, were not. They were folded neatly in envelopes and had a strangely shaped wax seal coating the front. They'd been broken and were open, so she didn't worry too much about Harry knowing she'd read them. They may not have been anything important, but after her recent find she just couldn't risk it.

She was glad she looked. If she hadn't she didn't know what she would've done. The writing on the letters wasn't recognizable, but the names written across the paper were.

 _Queenie. Mal. Jay. Carlos. Evie._ The letters she found had been written to _her._ She didn't read them though. Her ears picked up on the creaking floorboards just outside the room and she panicked. She tossed the letters and, even though she struggled with herself to let it go, her necklace, back into the chest. She gently closed the lid and covered it with whatever she could get her hands on at the time, her princess-ly ways leaving her as dread filled her body.

The door creaked open just as Queenie stumbled back up into the bed, closing her eyes and slowing her breath in an attempt to feign sleep to whoever had come to visit.

The footsteps came closer and she fought to stay still, to remain motionless. She was much too wound up. Her heart beat at a fast pace and all she wanted to do was jump up and run like she did every other time something scared her. But she wouldn't...she couldn't. This time she would stay. No more running, no more hiding. She had to know what was going on.

"Wakey, wakey princess." An accented voice sang, and Queenie felt something cold against her temple. The damned hook was trailing along her face, pushing away a few strands that'd fallen out of place.

Queenie let out a sleepy hum and turned her head, nestling it further into the pillow her head laid on. She couldn't face him yet. She needed time.

"Ah, ah, ah princess." Harry chuckled, leaning in towards her. "As much as I'd love to let ye sleep, you're needed up top."

That startled her. Queenie quickly moved to sit up, mindful of the dangerous weapon Harry still held close to her. "Why?" She demanded, instantly soothing her voice afterwards. He couldn't know what she'd found. "I haven't done anything wrong, have I?" She was never needed on deck. If anything the crew took great pleasure in forcing her off the ship, so why on earth would they need her now?

"No lass, ye haven't." Harry reassured, and Queenie's stiff posture calmed slightly. It faded once she noticed the slightly worried expression on Harry's face. He was _never_ worried. "Uma wants ta see ya."

 _'Oh no.'_ Queenie moved up onto her knees and, like always, Harry moved too. He always had to be higher than she was, no matter the circumstance. "I didn't know they'd come back. I _swear,_ if I'd known I would've come straight to you, you _know_ that. I wouldn't go against you guys Harry I wouldn't..." Queenie could feel a panic attack approaching. She hadn't had one quite like this for a while, but the thought of being thrown to the sharks was too frightening to ignore.

"Oh shit. Listen ta me, princess." Harry groaned, dropping his hook on the bed as he grabbed the sides of her head with both hands, forcing her to look back into his eyes. "I told ye no one else would hurt you, didn' I?" He recalled, and Queenie nodded. "I meant it. I know you wouldn' go against me," Harry's eyes temporarily roamed the side of her face. "Not again, anyway."

Queenie saw the small smile he attempted to quickly cover up and it made her nauseous. Did he enjoy hurting her so much? "But she's your captain." She reminded him. "You have to do what she says. What if she tells you to 'hook' me?" Harry's eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. "Would you do it?"

Queenie wasn't as forgetful or oblivious as people seemed to think she was. Sometimes she let the unimportant things escape her mind, but certain moments stuck like glue. Any time Harry told her or showed her something that meant something to him, she remembered. Whether it was something small, like the scar on his hip from his first sword lesson with his dad, or something big, she always remembered. After all, she owed him her life, the least she could do was pay attention. And Queenie knew that Harry's friendship with Uma meant everything to him. They weren't like the core-four, with those two it was true. Their loyalty was seen by everyone, especially her. She knew the answer before he did.

"Aye, I would." He replied, albeit with some hesitation. He smiled then. Not one of his mocking smirks or warning grins; A genuine smile. "But I _know_ you'd survive it. Yer a strong one, princess, whether you know it or not." His hand drifted from her face downwards, smoothing over her collar bone and across her chest. "Yer no fighter, darlin'." He stated. "But ye are a survivor. An' I respect ye for that."

Queenie felt a small surge of pride at his words. She couldn't get rid of the sting in her heart after finding her necklace and those letters, but earning Harry's approval seemed to push some sort of button in her mind. She felt, almost...happy? "You mean that?" She asked with hope, her teeth gently tugging at her bottom lip.

Harry's blue eyes followed the motion. "Oh, I do princess." He said eagerly. "Come here," Harry gripped both her hands and pulled.

"Harry," Queenie sighed anxiously when she realised what he was doing. If Harry was feeling particularly pleased with her, he'd build her up. If he was disappointed, then he'd tear her down. It seemed this time she'd actually done something right.

The pirate ignored her. Instead he gripped Queenie's hips and placed her in front of him, getting her as close to the cracked mirror as he possibly he could. "Look." He demanded and, as always, Queenie obeyed.

The brown-haired girl reluctantly stared at herself, her eyes moving quickly to avoid a memory-flash or moment of self-hatred. She _loathed_ these moments. Back with her mother she'd loved it, always spending at least an hour or more in front of the mirror, ensuring she looked absolutely perfect. Now it was more of a punishment. Now she only saw the bad.

"What do ye see?" Harry asked her quietly.

Queenie let out a small, tired sigh. She saw the same thing she always did when he put her in front of the damned mirror. Her hair fell to her waist in soft waves, though it was slightly fuzzy from the tossing and turning she must have done while sleeping. Her black, pleated skirt was slightly wrinkled. Her blood-red shirt had fallen down one shoulder, her black boots were scuffed and her knee-high socks had one too many holes.

"Ye wanna know what I think of ye, princess?" She hummed in reply, focussing her eyes on his face in the mirror rather than her own. "I think you're _strong."_ Harry told her, and her eyes widened slightly. "I know, I know, you don' think the same. But ye are, darlin'. Mos' people would've given up by now, thrown themselves in the sea and been done with it, but you didn'. Every time yer knocked down ye get back up. _You adapt._ I know ye don' want to, but I _need_ ye to think about it. Think of everythin' they put ye through, ye took it like a fuckin' soldier."

Queenie looked back at the mirror and everything seemed to stop. She stared at the soft hazel eyes that looked back at her, and finally she realised just what it was Harry was telling her to look at. He wasn't talking about the physical aspects, he was talking about her mental capabilities. Her mind had been ripped apart and messily thrown back together but if she looked hard enough, she could see herself. The girl she saw first was only young, much like she was when she was a little kid. That girl was hiding away in a corner; Bruised, battered and bloody. Then there was another. This one was much different than the little one, and seemed to look exactly as Queenie did now. This one stood tall, her head held high as she watched the younger one with an almost protective gaze, like she wouldn't let anyone else hurt her.

It suddenly crashed down on Queenie just how much she'd lived through. She'd been lied to by the woman who raised her and kept her safe. She'd been thrown out by that same woman and discovered a life so foreign to her previous one, and she'd adjusted to it. She'd been tossed to the side by her closest friends like she was nothing. She'd been insulted, hit, punched, kicked, cut; Knocked down to nothing, and she was still going. All this time there had been a shouting voice in the back of her head telling her to just get back up, and she'd always assumed it someone else's. Until now. _Now_ she knew the truth. That voice was her own, she'd been protecting herself in her own way and she didn't even know it.

Harry seemed to know what would happen before she did. Her knees buckled and soon she felt herself falling, but there was no thud of her body meeting the floor. He caught her. He held her tight as she cried, wailed and screamed. The pain was so strong, stronger than it had ever been.

"Finally." Harry sighed in what appeared to be relief.

"H-Harry?" Queenie gasped, her chest rising and falling quickly with each harsh breath.

"Ye finally felt it." He laughed, and she looked back at the mirror to see him better. "I wasn' sure if I could take much more of it. Now let it happen. Let it _change_ ye." That manic grin was back. He was excited.

Queenie waited. She waited for those thoughts of revenge and violent temptations to flood her brain. They never came. She was still the same. The only thing that changed was the hurt. She'd finally let it all in during one moment of weakness on her part, and in some ways she did feel stronger, but that wasn't it. Now there was only a fierce determination. They had the King, she knew that, so now there was a chance for _her_ happiness. If she could help him, she could get herself off the Isle for good. Queenie had never been evil, nor would she ever be. Her body and her mind had been through things no other teenage girl should go through, and the thought of subjecting someone else to such torture made her ill. She wasn't nasty, or selfish, or hateful. She was kind, thoughtful and she absolutely adored helping others. She didn't belong on the Isle, but she did belong in Auradon. If she could get the King to see that, then maybe he'd take her back with him.

Queenie searched through her memories. She took note of all the wandering, starving children she'd seen on the Isle that had been abandoned by their own parents. She recalled very few elderly citizens, those who'd been around way before the barrier had been put up, and she could still see their blank eyes staring up at her. Maybe she and Uma weren't so different after all. Queenie had always wanted to change things on the Isle. They had very limited supplies. The strongest were always at the front of the line, taking the best and leaving the lesser villains with nothing. Whether it be medicines or something as simple as clothing, they were always there first. Things had to change. If the core-four were too selfish and absorbed in their own lives to help, then maybe she could.

But then there was Harry. He was pure Isle. Sadistic, possibly-insane and his presence terrified anyone and everyone. Still, he'd been the one to help her back when she was dying. He'd had his motives, she knew that, but he'd still helped her. If she wanted a chance at a better life, it meant leaving him behind.

The threat he'd given her when they'd first met had never left her mind, and she was sure it would always be there. He _would_ put her back in that tunnel if she turned on him again. If he thought for one second that she was planning on going to Auradon without him then he'd kill her the first chance he got.

Queenie closed her eyes. It seemed her mind had only slowed temporarily. Now it was up and running the same way it had before. Only a few moments ago she'd been battling with her past, fighting those memories of pain and torment. Now that she'd accepted them, her thoughts had turned to the present and future. She had two options the way she saw it. If she left and went to Auradon, assuming Ben let her of course, then she could make the Isle a much better place. The thing that scared her most was that if she did join the land of good, then she'd be abandoning everyone on the Isle, and since she'd once been on the receiving end of that treatment, she wasn't too eager. But if she stayed on the Isle, then Harry would try to turn her into Uma, or worse; Himself. He'd want her to be like them, to dominate and terrorize and run the Isle like they did. She couldn't do that either.

She was stuck.

A loud knock came at the door and it stunned them both. "Uma said if you're not up soon she's coming down here!" A voice warned, and the footsteps soon retreated.

"Queenie," Harry finally spoke, and she turned in his arms. For the first time ever, he wasn't above her. They were on the same level now. "I'm so proud of ye, princess." He declared. "Yer one of us now."

 _'No, I'm not.'_ She thought to herself. She wouldn't tell him. She couldn't. He'd helped her so much that she couldn't possibly take him down the way he did to her. She owed him, yes. But she owed much more to herself. She just had to _think._

"Thank you. For everything." She said instead. It seamed to appease him.

"Now, now, princess, don' thank me jus' yet. Uma still wants ta see ye." He reminded her, and she nodded. "But before we go," Harry's eyes flickered down and his hand moved towards her shirt, his fingers lightly moving the fabric down. "Ye have no idea how happy I am ta see ye like this, an' I know this opens new doors for ye darlin'." Queenie's own eyes followed his hand. He was doing it again. Letting her know that while she was her own person, she needed to keep in mind that he was what helped her get there. " _You_ are still _mine._ "

To anyone else it would have looked like a question mark, but she and Harry knew full well what it was. It was something she'd did willingly to prove how loyal she was to him. A jagged, messy scar in the shape of a hook right in between her breasts, just where she knew her heart was. Even now she could still feel the agonizing pain she'd felt when he'd done it. She'd passed out during it, but it would always be there.

"I know Harry." Queenie whispered, hoping she sounded a lot more confident than she felt.

It worked. Harry chuckled, his tongue between his teeth. In the heat of the moment he did something she couldn't ever recall him doing before. Harry leaned down towards her and nudged the tip of her nose with his own, his forehead pressed uncomfortably hard against hers. " _My princess."_

~...~...~

Things were unbearably tense up on deck. The crew were all in their positions, ready and waiting for something. They fidgeted and some even muttered excited words towards each other, but Queenie couldn't hear what they were saying. All she knew was that she could practically feel the waves washing off of them and it only seemed to make her anxiety worsen.

 _'What the fuck is going on?'_ She wondered to herself.

"Finally!" Queenie heard Uma exclaim with feigned exhaustion.

"Sorry 'bout that. The little one was worried." Harry shrugged.

Queenie attempted to ignore the looks of disgust and judgement she received from the surrounding pirates. She knew exactly why they hated her. Some just couldn't comprehend the thought of someone so shy and unable to stick up for themselves being a part of Uma's 'group'. Others simply didn't like her because of her closeness with Harry. Whenever he brought her to Uma's shop, or the few moments he'd brought her onto the ship, he'd always stayed close behind. Male or female, it didn't matter. They all either wanted Harry, or they wanted to be him. She wasn't so sure which spectrum she fell into any more. Both? Neither? She didn't know.

"Queenie." Uma smiled as her head fell the side.

"As requested." Harry grinned towards his captain, lightly pushing the smaller girl forward.

"C'mere princess, there's someone I'm just _dying_ for you to meet." Uma told her, throwing an arm around her shoulder and sitting her down on a ledge.

If she wasn't nervous before, then she definitely was now. Uma was making it seem as though she were a friend, when they were anything but. Though usually when Uma was being nice, it meant she wanted something, or wanted Queenie to do something. "Who?" The brown-haired girl asked curiously.

"Queenie, meet the King of Auradon." Uma explained, nudging her head to the left.

Queenie flinched and turned her head. She'd been so preoccupied with everyone else that she hadn't even seen the King tied up to a wooden beam. Something was going on. Something big.

"Your highness, this is Queenie. Harry's little," Uma paused in thought, her eyes rolling as she searched for the right word. "Pet." Was what she finally settled on.

Queenie had to bite her tongue this time. Before she would have sulked and averted her eyes. Not now, though. Harry was right, she _was_ stronger than she thought. But starting a fight with Uma wasn't wise or clever. It was something she'd never win. The witch's daughter had numerous allies surrounding her and she was better skilled with a sword, having been taught by Harry himself. All Queenie could do was run and hope for the best. Just another thing she had to change when all of the commotion died down.

"Not everyone on the Isle is like us." Uma stated, gesturing towards the rest of her crew. "Not all of us are strong. Queenie here, is what happens to those who can't defend themselves. You should have seen her months ago," Uma smiled as though it were a fond memory. "All beaten half to death. She was part of Mal's gang, and when they left people came straight for her. You still think Mal's a good person?" She shook her head. "Not one bit."

During Uma's small speech, Queenie had been subtly assessing the boy across from her. She wasn't sure what Uma was up to, but what she did know was that it seemed to be having the desired effect. The King looked guilty and slightly horrified, and Queenie knew he'd taken her bruise as something else. He didn't know that Harry had given it to her, he probably never would. Uma was fucking with him in the worst way. She was making him see that when he brought the core-four to Auradon and left everyone else, that it hadn't just hurt the rest of the Isle emotionally, for some it had been physical.

"I can't change the past." The King spoke suddenly. "I can't undo what I did or make up for what I didn't do. But I can help you now, can't I?"

While Uma merely rolled her eyes and released an amused scoff, Queenie perked up. "How?"

Her voice surprised everyone except for the King. 'Ben', if she remembered correctly. He looked down at her with a hopeful gaze, as if she could help him find a way off the ship. Queenie knew she couldn't help him now, not with everyone ready to attack. She had to wait.

Queenie felt Uma withdraw her arm slowly. She turned her head quickly and saw the smug smirk on the girls face as she stared ahead. Uma was looking at Harry.

The Red Queen's daughter felt his gaze before she even took note of it. When she did, however, she really hadn't prepared herself. She hadn't thought before she spoke and she knew her sudden motivation was going to get her in trouble. Harry looked absolutely livid. His blue eyes held a strong storm within them, and she could clearly see him moving his jaw as he ground his teeth together. His hooked hand was twitching, as if he were about to kill something, and she could also spot his right hand moving towards his sword.

She had to dig herself out of the hole, and quickly.

"How could you possibly help us?" Queenie demanded of the King, her hazel eyes returning to him once more. She hoped her slight emphasis on the word 'us' would calm Harry down and knock Uma's satisfied stature away. "You don't know the Isle." She stood quickly, her temper sparking and her confidence swiftly rising. "You say you can help but you can't. You're an Auradon boy, not an Isle man. You don't know half of what happens here so how could you even think that you know what to do to help?" She was close to him now, maybe a little too close. She could spot Harry from the corner of her eye, attempting to remain neutral even though she knew better. He was also getting closer.

"You're right, I don't know the Isle." Ben agreed with a small nod. "But _you_ do." He was making things worse. He wasn't speaking to Uma or Harry, he was speaking to _her._ "You don't have to come with me to Auradon." He said, and a small part of her dwindled. She really wanted to go there, but she had to stay. "You can stay here. _We_ can make a difference, Queenie." He didn't say her name in a distasteful way like the others did, or even in the strong and threatening way Harry did. He talked to her like she was a person, someone worth something. It was still all so new to her. "You can help me make it better."

Queenie opened her mouth to reply, but Gil's voice rang louder than hers would.

"Guys!" He yelled. "They're here!"

* * *

 **AN**

 **Hi readers, just me again. First things first, big thank you for all who've reviewed, followed and favourited. I can't thank you guys enough for that as it really helps me keep the story going. Shout-out to whoever it is that leaves those long reviews! You're awesome!**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I know some may be disappointed that Queenie isn't too keen on going evil, but I just feel as if she's been on the receiving end of it so much that she couldn't ever do it to another person. I do feel the need to point out that she isn't going to go good either, as Auradon hasn't done much to help her out lately. She's sort of stuck between staying with Harry on the Isle, and going to Auradon. No matter what thought, as usual, she has the interests of the Isle at heart. She wants to help, but doesn't quite know how if it makes any sense.**

 **As for the thoughts on who put Queenie in the tunnel the first time, I'm not sure if I'll go too in depth of who did that. Honestly in my mind Queenie would have been taking hits from everyone that decided to go for her, and eventually she stopped recognizing who did what as she was subjected to so much. Plus, even though Queenie spent a while with the VK's, they didn't always tell her who they'd wronged before she came along, and since she's still pretty new to everything on the Isle, even now, she doesn't always know the more important people. Remember, she was stuck with her mum for a long time, then she was with the VK's, but now she mainly holes up in the chip shop or her den and that's about it. Some of her attackers may pop up in future chapters though, so stay tuned for that.**

 **Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed the moment between Harry and Queenie. I don't know if it was rushed or anything but I loved writing their scene together.**

 **Please remember to review and let me know what you guys thought on this chapter. Feedback is, as always, much appreciated. I apologize for any typo's that may pop up.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

As soon as Gil's words rang out across the ship, everyone began moving. It seemed Queenie's conversation with the King would have to be put on hold. For now, at least.

Uma moved towards the entrance of the ship and Harry came up behind Ben, untying him from the beam and then pinning his arms behind his body, tying his wrists tightly together. Queenie stood still, not quite sure what she should do.

"Get below deck, lass." Harry spoke to her as he walked, shoving Ben in front of him.

"What's happening, Harry?" Queenie asked. It wasn't until after did she see the core-four, plus some girl she didn't know, approach the ship. It looked like a...trade? She wondered what the former VK's were giving up for their King.

"I won' ask ye again, princess." Harry snapped, and Queenie flinched. It seemed his anger hadn't gone like she'd hoped.

"Okay. I'll go below." Queenie reassured. It didn't help much. He just gave her a dismissive nod and she walked away, heading back towards his room.

As she swiftly moved through the corridor, Queenie's mind began to take over. She wasn't too sure what Harry wanted from her any more. She used to think he wanted her to be stronger, for her to be 'the princess she could be', as he'd told her a few times. Now she doubted his words. It seemed, at least from her point of view, that while Harry did want for her to be strong, he also wanted her to be submissive. He wanted her to join them, to be like them, but she couldn't. How on earth was she supposed to be on the same level as Harry and his pirate crew when he was still treating her like he had before? Like she was some little maid they could boss around as they saw fit. Harry couldn't have it both ways. Queenie now knew that as long as she was Harry's, she would never be her own person. No one on the Isle would treat her with a shred of dignity or respect if she belonged to someone else. That wasn't how the Isle worked. If she wanted to be free, to be _truly_ free, then she would need Harry to let her go first.

He was _never_ going to do that. Queenie didn't know if he liked her, or if he just enjoyed waking up every morning knowing she had to do everything he said. She knew she wouldn't ever let him go. She couldn't. Harry had played such a large role in her life, and if she left him alone it wouldn't just hurt him, it'd also hurt _her._ She hadn't ever thought of a life without him in it, knowing the very thought of not seeing him sent a strange ache through her chest. It was absolutely ridiculous in her mind. Harry had saved her, yes, but he'd also done things that weren't for her benefit. He'd manipulated her, used her loyalty against her, beat her, 'hooked' her and turned her into a possession. Why the hell would any self-respecting girl want to be tied to someone so horrible?

 _'Because he's yours.'_

Queenie gasped at the voice in her head. Harry couldn't be hers, he never would be hers, not completely. He only ever listened to Uma, his captain and best friend. He loved chasing the women, and occasional man, on the Isle and that wouldn't ever change. He wouldn't change for her even though she'd done everything in her power to make him happy. She didn't want him to change for her, though. He'd been raised a certain way and freedom had always been a part of that. He wouldn't ever want to be tied down to someone like her, not when he could have anyone on the Isle. Except Uma.

"Get a fucking grip girl." Queenie scolded herself, pushing Harry's bedroom door open. One minute her thoughts were on escaping, then they turned to staying on the Isle, then they seemed to try and figure out ways to get out from under Harry's thumb whilst also keeping him near her.

Her head truly was a messy place.

Queenie sat down at the bottom of Harry's bead, her arms crossed firmly as she stared ahead in thought. She could hear all of the commotion up on deck. The swords clashing, feet thumping and very, very loud shouting. It wasn't helping her attempts at settling her frantic mind.

Queenie's eyes flickered as she, once again, took in the small chest across the room. _'No.'_ Her inner voice demanded firmly. She knew Harry would be busy for a while, judging by the sounds, and that no one on the ship would dare go near his room without permission. In that time she could read the letters she'd seen. _'Don't. Do. It.'_

Curiosity won. Again.

Queenie jumped up and quickly dropped onto her knees. She lifted the lid and saw the letters, and necklace, on top of everything else. She grasped as many as she could, all that had the strange seal on the front, and moved back towards Harry's bed.

~...~...~

"Hello Jay." Harry grinned, removing his tricorn hat as he approached Jafar's son. He'd been waiting so long for this moment.

They circled once and Harry was the first to move. He withdrew his sword swiftly and swung, chuckling as Jay only just managed to avoid being hurt. He then struck again, spinning quickly, using both sword and hook to take the boy down.

In truth, Harry had been wanting to 'hook' the old thief for a good few months. He even dreamed of it. The thought of making Jay bleed out on the floor in the state he'd found Queenie in would satiate some of that growing rage he'd felt since finding her. He had it all planned out in his head. He'd carve out the boys heart with his hook and give it to the little princess as a gift. Harry was sure she'd love it. He'd give her the hearts of all who'd left her to fend for herself on the Isle, and then she truly would be the Princess of Hearts.

Oh how he'd enjoy seeing that.

They fought some more and it was then that Harry realised just how good Jay was at sword fighting. The thought that they actually trained with swords over in Bore-Adon had never came to him. He'd assumed all they did was learn how to rule, go to classes about 'kindness' and do whatever it was Princes and Princess's did over there.

Clearly, he was wrong.

"I assume yer here for the princess." Harry spoke as they stepped back, both moving around each other once again. He knew he could win against Jay, he had years on the boy when it came to swords. But Harry also liked to play dirty. If he was going to drag it out, he wanted to make it as painful and hurtful as he could.

"I'm taking her back with me." Jay stated, and Harry had to admire the boy's confidence.

"Ye sure about that?"

Harry moved forward and thrust out his sword. Jay quickly turned and elbowed the pirate in the face, making Harry falter for a moment.

"She belongs in Auradon, not the Isle." Jay said to him.

"She'll never go back with ye. Not after what ye did." Harry recapped, a smug smile gracing his features.

Jay paused and Harry seized his moment. He laughed even though he'd only nicked the old villain, knowing that his words were working. Jay was getting distracted.

"She knows how sorry I am. She'll forgive me." Even though he sounded sure, Jay couldn't help but doubt his words. He wanted to Queenie to go back with him more than anything. She was wonderful and sweet and she could be so much more in Auradon. He couldn't leave her. Not again.

"Maybe." Harry offered light-heartedly. "Maybe she saw those lovely little letters," Harry quickly stepped to the side as Jay ran towards him, smacking the back of Jay's thighs with the non-lethal side of his sword. "And maybe she didn'." He finished.

The realisation came to Jay sooner than Harry thought it would. "You're the reason she didn't write back." Jay said as he thought, a sudden surge of anger flowing throughout his body.

When Harry did nothing but laugh, again, Jay knew. He _was_ the reason Queenie didn't write back. He must have taken them before she even saw them. No wonder she'd been so angry when they first showed up.

"Ye had yer chance with the little one." Harry taunted. "Now it's my turn." He shot forward, his leg out as he aimed a kick towards the boys knee.

Jay dodged and jumped as Harry aimed for his ankles. "You think she's yours?" Jay asked him, raising his sword as Harry came close, both his own sword and hook backing Jay into the fence. He was cornered, but he wouldn't go down without the last laugh. "She'll _never_ be yours." He spat.

Harry smiled, though it quickly faded as Jay pushed forward. He swung his sword blindly but the boy avoided each hit. Eventually Harry's ego took a large hit when he found his trusty sword lodged in the fence.

Jay booted Harry's legs and sides until the pirate eventually fell back from the force. He now had one over on him, having grasped Harry's favoured hook as he shoved the teen away.

It was now Jay's turn to be smug. He smirked at the mad pirate as he dangled the hook from his sword, quickly moving towards the edge.

"You should have seen her, Jay." Harry started talking again. He could see the hook from the corner of his, and his fingers begin to twitch, as though they had a mind of their own when it came to the much-adored object. It was part of him. It wasn't meant for the likes of Jay. "I made her strong when she was weak. She was nearly dead when I found 'er. I patched 'er up nice an' good." Jay was listening intently, and Harry knew he had him then. "You should see 'er now. Always followin' me aroun', listenin' to everythin' I say. Oh I love those eyes o' hers. You should see the way she looks at me, like I'm the only thing that matters in her messed up world. The world you left 'er in."

Jay wasn't stupid. He knew exactly what Harry was doing. He was using Queenie to get his stupid hook back and Jay hated him for it. The thought of Queenie lying in some alleyway all beaten and unable to move made him so, so sad. It also made him angry. With himself, with his friends, with anyone who'd hurt her. It was their fault that had happened. He should have come for her as soon as they made the decision to stay. It would have been the right thing to do. He'd been so absorbed in his life getting better that all thoughts of Queenie had flown out the window. He was an absolute jackass and maybe Harry was right, maybe she wouldn't go back with him. But he could try.

Harry jumped and Jay moved. The pirate may have been fast, but he'd always been faster.

"She might not come back, and that's okay." Jay said, dangling the hook over the crashing waves. "But you listen to me, Hook." He spoke, anger dripping from each word that left his mouth. "If you've made her stronger, then eventually she's gonna have the strength to leave you. Mal told me how she got that mark on her face. She won't stay with you forever. I _know_ she won't. She's gonna realise she deserves better and, when she does, I'll be waiting on the other side." And with that, he tilted his sword, letting the heavy metal fall straight down into the ocean.

Harry ignored Jay after that. He dropped his sword and leapt, chasing after his hook. Thankfully it hadn't drifted too far down. He grabbed the object, grateful to have it back in its rightful place, and swam towards the surface, trailing along the bottom of the ship until he found the ladder.

"She won't leave me." He attempted to assure himself, but Jay's words plagued his mind. "She won't. She won't. She won't!"

~...~...~

Queenie slowly travelled up the steps leading onto the deck, poking her head out for a moment to suss out the scene. Most of the crew had travelled further onto land, leaving the ship more or less empty. The sound the swords made as they collided gave her goosebumps, a shiver of disgust and something else running through her small frame. She hated that sound.

Her hand carefully trailed upwards and she grasped at the heart-shaped gem. She felt it would give her the strength she needed to move. "Come on Q'," Queenie soothed. "You can do this."

With reassuring thoughts in mind, she finally wandered onto the mostly-empty ship. She'd read all the letters Harry had hidden and she'd never felt better for it. Obviously she was still mad as hell that they'd left her on the Isle, but at least she now knew that they hadn't forgotten her completely. Most of the letters had been from Jay, almost a months worth. Others had been from Evie, talking about how amazing Auradon was and how much she'd love it. It hadn't taken her long to read them all, she'd been scanning them more than intently reading, but she still got the message. She wasn't ready to forgive them, she wasn't sure if she ever could, but she'd finally put some of her mind to rest, and that was something.

Queenie managed to sneak her way through the fighting. She gripped a nearby scarf that'd been abandoned and headed towards the tunnel she always made sure to stay away from. It was the quickest way out of the docks, and she knew full well that her time was running out. If Harry even thought she'd left the ship he'd come running after her and drag her back kicking and screaming.

She couldn't let that happen. She _wouldn't._

The young teen attempted to calm her pounding heart as she entered, closing her eyes and keeping one hand against the tin wall as she moved. She may have had the courage to leave the ship, but she was by no means ready to see the tunnel again. Every time she came through she was either with Harry, who always kept her gaze when they came through, or she simply closed her eyes. Her mind could only handle so much.

When her hand met air Queenie knew she'd made it through. She let out a loud sigh of relief, opening her eyes and removing the sad excuse of a disguise. She'd only intended on heading back to her den, knowing the VK's would be taking Ben back to Auradon. She had some time to put in extra security measures in place while they were gone to ensure they didn't get in without her knowledge...again. As usual, however, something else managed to catch her eye.

The brown-haired girl moved her bangs aside and approached the large shape warily. Whatever it was, it was covered with large sheets or blankets. She quickly grasped the material and pulled, her brows furrowing as she realised what it was.

A car. A very shiny, black and long car. It must have been the way the core-four got into the Isle, and the way they'd also get back. Cars were a rarity on the Isle and, since there were no roads or even enough space to move in one, they'd always been dismantled and sold for other uses.

"Do you have any food?"

Queenie jumped and snatched her hand away from the car, much like a young child would when caught doing something they shouldn't. She whipped her head in each direction, her hair hitting her in the face as she looked for a body to match the voice. She couldn't see one.

"Down here genius."

Queenie did as the face said and looked down. She could only see a...dog? There weren't any dogs on the Isle, either. "Hi." She greeted with confusion.

"Do you have any food?" The animal said again, but slower, as if he were talking to an imbecile or someone hard of hearing.

"Uh, no. I don't." Queenie replied apologetically, and the little thing groaned. "I didn't know dogs could talk." She thought out loud.

"They don't." The animal said back, and Queenie blanched at the attitude. Maybe he was cranky when hungry.

"Dude!" A familiar voice shouted, and Queenie jumped as she looked up. Jay came running out of the tunnel with someone behind him, the girl she'd seen earlier with the others. "Oh shit." He said as he noticed her near the vehicle. "Queenie."

"Um, hi." Was all she could think to say. Harry wasn't with her, so she didn't have him looming behind her with whispered threats or demands. She could finally speak to Jay without having to worry. If only she could bring herself to form a complete sentence.

"Lonnie, get the car running." Jay said to the girl next to him. She nodded and moved around Queenie without hesitation, pulling out a strange device Queenie hadn't ever seen before.

"You guys are leaving, huh?" Queenie asked. She wasn't upset or disappointed, quite the opposite actually. With them over in Auradon she could, finally, start to figure her life out.

"Come with us." The former thief said. Though to Queenie, it sounded more like a plead. "Please, Q'. Harry can't hurt you over there." He added.

Queenie giggled and rolled her eyes. "You just don't get it, do you?" She approached him slowly and he eyed her, unsure if she'd try something or not. "You _left_ me here. I found your letters in Harry's room. Did you really think some pieces of paper would help me? That they would somehow keep me safe? I'm glad he took them from me." She admitted, and she found herself relieved as the words slipped out of her mouth. This talk with Jay had been long overdue. "A few months ago I would have relied on those letters, waited every day for the one that said you were coming for me."

"Queenie, if I'd known-"

This time it was her shushing him. It felt good. "You know how I was then, Jay. I wouldn't have told you either way. I would've let you be happy." She told him with a shrug. "I'm not the same girl I was back then. There are some parts of me that can't be repaired because of what happened. As for Harry," Queenie pursed her lips and sighed. "He's crazy. I know that, and you know that. Yet he was the one that came for me. He didn't have to save me, but he did."

Jay groaned, as though he were annoyed beyond belief, and moved towards her. He lifted his hand and, on instinct, Queenie flinched. He ignored that motion and continued, the tips of his fingers gently smoothing over her cheek. "But look what he did to you." He whispered. It seemed the pain she'd endured was hurting him more than it was her, and she was partly happy with that notion.

"Harry has issues. He really needs to work on his people-skills and maybe I can change, but maybe I can't. _This_ ," Queenie gestured towards her cheek. "Is nothing. He doesn't go around beating me on a daily basis. It's not good what we have, but it's something. He cleaned and stitched every cut I had, did everything for me when I could barely move and didn't complain once. In his own fucked up way I'm sure he cares. But you need to remember that this is the Isle, not Auradon. Things work differently here and you need to respect that. I want to stay here, I have to." She finished, hoping she'd gotten through to him somehow. He was a lot stronger than she was, and she knew that if she didn't persuade him to let her stay then he'd surely drag her to Auradon in a sack.

"You're happy here?" He asked with raised brows, as though the very idea of her wanting to stay was crazy. Maybe it was.

"Of course not." She scoffed. "No one's happy here. But the Isle is part of me Jay, I can't just leave when there are too many loose ends that need tying." Queenie had never been more confused in her life. Only a few hours ago she'd been screaming at him, and now she was being as nice as she possibly could. Being angry with him wouldn't work, he was an Auradon kid now, and it seemed kindness was the best way to get through to them. Violence wouldn't be the answer.

A part of Queenie wanted to thank him for leaving. If he hadn't, she'd still be following the core-four around like a lost little kitten. The scars that littered both her mind and body would never fade, and for that she would always hold some kind of resentment, but she wouldn't let it eat away at her. If she did she was no better than the people who hurt her. Their leaving had turned her into the girl she was supposed to be. She'd taken the Isle's best hit and still survived. If she could handle that, she could handle anything. Especially now.

"Go home, Jay. You don't belong here any more."

Jay seemed to be having some kind of inward argument with himself. "I can't just leave you here with _them._ " He gestured to the direction in which he came.

"You can and you will." Queenie said firmly. She wasn't a fighter, but she'd do her best if he tried to take her. "Maybe I'll come to Auradon. If I ever do change my mind, it'll be when I'm ready. Not just because you're feeling guilty all of a sudden."

A loud crash echoed through the tunnel and Queenie heard approaching footsteps. The others were coming.

"You gonna be okay?" Jay asked.

"I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." Queenie laughed, stepping away from him. "Just promise me one thing." She added as an afterthought, and he nodded for her to continue. "If I ever need something from you, you do it. No questions asked. You owe me that much."

Jay paused as he thought it over. "Of course."

"You promise?" She pushed. She didn't need anything from him now, but she may in the future, and when that day came she wanted to know that she could rely on him.

"I promise you, Queenie." Jay took her by surprise when he dropped to one knee. "If you _ever_ need something from me, I'll do it. No questions asked."

It was strange, but she liked it. So this was what the big fuss was all about. "Good boy." She teased lightly, and Jay rolled his eyes as he got to his feet. "I'll see you."

Queenie swiftly moved to duck behind a nearby, empty crate. She watched as the rest of the group filed out of the tunnel, with Ben in tow, and jumped into the car. It took off rather quickly and only when she felt it was safe did she come out of hiding, staring at the large exit they'd gone through.

"Goodbye." She said with a small smile. She'd finally done it. She'd finally let them go. It didn't matter that she hadn't talked to all of them, Jay was the only one she'd really wanted to speak to, since he'd taken her in back when they'd first met. It was a strange sensation of freedom, and she was momentarily drunk on it.

Queenie moved back in the direction she'd been headed in the first place, only to pause as the toe of her boot collided with something on the floor. She hummed and looked down, seeing a strange book.

"What the hell are you?" She wondered to herself, scanning the purple coloured cover. She flicked through the pages and her eyes widened. This was it. This was her way out. "Oh shit."

~...~...~

The ship and everything on land that stood close was an absolute mess. People were picking pieces up off the floor, restoring any dropped items, and the crew were huffing and breathing heavily as they settled down. The adrenaline of a good fight was quickly wearing down and the realisation that they'd lost the fight was looming over them. It also didn't help that their captain was screaming absolute murder from the other side of the ship.

Harry wasn't any better. He'd gone down to his room, his boots squelching and water dripping from every crevice, but he hadn't cared. He needed to speak with Queenie about her chat with the King, only to find she wasn't there. He even looked in the other rooms to see if she'd gone for a small adventure on board, and found absolutely nothing. He hadn't noticed anything amiss, at first. However when he'd passed his room and quickly glanced inside out of habit, he saw the pieces of paper scattered across his bed. Queenie had found the letters.

His first thought was that she'd gone to Auradon with Jay. Her necklace was missing from its usual place in his chest. All too quickly thoughts of violence and hurt-induced rage took over. He completely trashed his room, as if she'd been hiding underneath his bed or in his closet. Wherever she was, he would find her, and he would kill her.

"Harry." A familiar voice called his name as he wandered with intent, and he stopped. It was Queenie.

"Princess?" He asked out loud. Was he truly going mad? She'd surely fled to Auradon with the others, so why was he hearing her voice? He was losing it completely.

"Over here, Harry."

The pirate turned quickly and soon spotted his little princess. She was inside the tunnel he'd found her in...sort of. She sat near the edge, her legs dangling over the water where the bridge should have been. Where it would have been had Mal not kicked it down into the waves.

"I wanna speak to Uma." She said, and it was then that Harry saw something held between both her hands. A book?

"Get yer ass over here. Now." Harry demanded. Who did she think she was, making demands of him that way. She'd made him panic, made him think she'd left when she hadn't. Oh how he'd hurt her for that.

"I. Want. Uma." Her voice was raising, and though he didn't like it one bit, he decided to give in to her wishes. Just this once.

"Captain!" Harry yelled at the top of his voice.

"What?!" The sea witch's daughter screamed, stomping over to where he stood. "I have to swim, I can go through the barrier."

"And do what?" Queenie spoke up from where she perched, her legs swinging back and forth. "Splash them 'till they take down the barrier?" She sounded amused, and it only served to piss off the teal-haired captain even more.

"You watch your tone with me, _princess_." Uma spat the word out as if it left a bad taste in her mouth, though for once it failed to defuse the brown-haired girl.

Queenie tutted and Harry seethed. "You should be a little bit more nicer to me, Uma. After all, I have something you want."

"You have nothing to offer me." Uma said back, turning to leave once more.

"I have Mal's spell book."

That stopped the captain. "What?"

"It won't work here," Queenie said, lifting the book to flick through the pages. "But it will in Auradon. You swim fast enough and get through the barrier, you could use this over there to help get the barrier down." She explained.

"Then give it to me."

Queenie laughed, and Harry tilted his head in slight confusion and some worry. She never laughed. "You're funny. You don't get this for free."

"Queenie." Harry warned, loud and clear. The way her eyes flickered towards him as she spoke was evidence enough. He knew what she was doing before she did it.

If he wasn't certain before then he was now. He was _definitely_ going to kill her.

"I'll give you the book." She stopped for dramatic effect, a twisted part of her wanting to fuck with them a little when they were on such a short time schedule. "If Harry lets me go."

* * *

 **AN**

 **Okie dokie. Bit of a long chapter here but you guys have been so awesome that I had to do it. I will apologize for leaving it on somewhat of a cliffhanger, but I felt it had to be done.**

 **Now, I'm going to answer a few questions you guys might have. First of all, Queenie is not going against Harry in any way. She knows what betrayal feels like and this isn't that. She knows that she won't get any respect if she still belongs to him, and that he won't treat her any differently if he thinks she's his. Queenie fully acknowledges what he's done for her, and how he's helped her, and she does have feelings for him. However, while she wants to be with Harry, she doesn't want him to own her. She needs to know if he's interested in her, or the power he has over her. So don't worry too much that there won't be any relationship with these two if she leaves him, because they've both been through too much together and neither can forget that.**

 **As for Uma, she doesn't hate Queenie, but she doesn't like her either. Like Harry, Uma wants Queenie to be stronger, as she could be a valuable asset to the crew. But she has to prove herself first. As I've stated in the story, Harry and Uma are fiercely protective over each other. In Uma's mind, if Harry's going to stick with a girl, she has to know that that person won't fuck him over. To put it simply, Uma needs Queenie to prove that she's worthy of Harry.**

 **I know the discussion between Queenie and Jay wasn't as anger-filled as some might have hoped but you have to remember, Queenie doesn't handle confrontation very well unless her temper kick-starts, and she is a good person all in all. She doesn't forgive him, but she's not one to hold grudges any more. If she wants to go forward in life, she has to let all that anger go, which she did on the ship with Harry in the previous chapter.**

 **Queenie has a lot to learn on the Isle still. There are a few people she still has issues with and those issues need to be addressed, so there won't be any chapters of her going to Auradon for a while. Though there will be slight changes in her personality, so stay tuned for that.**

 **I also spotted someone stating that the relationship between Queenie and Harry wasn't a healthy one, so I'll explain it in the best way that I can. Their relationship is how I felt most relationships would be on the Isle. There wouldn't be a completely functional teenage couple with two people who'd suffered abuse in different ways. They haven't been to Auradon, so they have no idea how they're supposed to be with each other. All Harry knows is that fear is control, so he does use that on Queenie and it did work. It's all he knows how to do. For now anyway. I don't justify their relationship, it is quite messed up to be honest, but for them it's normal. It's all a new thing so they're just going through the motions.**

 **Big shout-out to my reviewers, you all help keep the story going and I love how much you guys enjoy the story. And for the anonymous reviewer who leaves those super-long reviews - YOU'RE AMAZING! You actually give me ideas for the story with your thoughts so thank you so much for reading still.**

 **Big thank you also to those who've followed and favourited. It means so much that you enjoy this fic.**

 **Anyway, that was a longer Author's note than I'd planned on doing, so I'll leave it at that. Remember to leave a review and let me know what you think.**

 **Much love guys! Thanks for reading. I apologise for any typo's, I'll get rid of them once I've read through the chapter myself.**


	8. Chapter 8

Queenie sighed in content as she snuggled further into the couch, her head resting on her right hand as she stared at the TV. After the day she'd had, she deserved some down-time.

It was the night of the Cotillion, which Queenie had now taken to mean 'big, fancy party', and she'd decided to watch. It had been a rather difficult choice. She hadn't been completely sure that she'd made the right decision on staying on the Isle, but she couldn't take it back. Well, she could. Jay did owe her that favour after all, but she just couldn't. Like she'd told him, she had much more to do on the Isle, and until everything was done and dusted she wouldn't leave. She wouldn't run again.

Queenie turned her eyes away from the TV, not too bothered about seeing all the princes and princesses in their finely made gowns. Instead her eyes stared ahead at the empty den. She was a little lonely. She wished she had someone with her, maybe Dizzy or Gil. She knew though that the youngest Tremaine would be back the salon, most likely attempting to clean up even though she was really watching the TV. Gil, however, was a completely different story. Queenie was sure that her earlier antics meant the teen wasn't even allowed in the same room as her, much less speak to her. She had to remind herself that what she'd done was for her own benefit, and was most definitely worth it.

 _The air changed as soon as those words left Queenie's lips. For a split-second she regretted them, but even she knew they couldn't be taken back. She wouldn't get another chance. Harry wouldn't listen to her, and neither would Uma in any other situation, but now they had to. Because for once Queenie had something they wanted and, since the bridge had been demolished, they had no other choice but to make a deal. She had her gaze fixed on every single pirate on board the ship, and if any decided to suddenly move with an intent to sneak into the tunnel, she'd drop the book in a heartbeat. The price for freedom was a big one, and she had every single intention to pay up if things went south._

 _"That's all?" Uma asked suspiciously._

 _"No." Queenie declared, and a string of mutters and curses erupted from the crew. She didn't care if she was pushing her luck. For maybe the first time in her life, she held the power, and she had to admit that it was a wonderful feeling. "I still need money, so my work in your mom's place is still going. And I want protection." She finished._

 _"You're already protected, princess." Uma stated, slowly pacing back and forth as she kept an eye on the barrier surrounding the Isle. If anyone passed through, a small ripple-like effect would take hold, and it would be her only chance to leave._

 _Queenie shook her head. "Not from them." She gestured with one hand to the surrounding pirates, who seemed too tired to even go looking for her, but she couldn't be too sure. "From your first mate." She announced, her hazel eyes finally coming to Harry._

 _"Done." Uma agreed after a moment of thought._

 _"Not. Done." An accented voice stated firmly from her right-hand side._

 _"Harry," Uma groaned, but Queenie didn't hear anything after that. The teal-haired girl had gripped her best friend's forearm with haste, muttering something or other into his ear._

 _"No." Harry growled loudly, tugging at his damp hair. "She's mine!" He turned to face her then, and Queenie really wished he hadn't. "She's mine." His voice was quieter, but it held something other than anger. It was something Queenie recognized almost immediately._

 _Queenie's stomach wound in knots and a strange ache took a firm hold on her chest. He thought she was leaving him, that she was betraying him. She wanted to shout, to make him see that she wasn't doing any of it to hurt him. She was doing it for herself, maybe for him too. Because as long as she was his, she would never know if he truly liked her, or if he just enjoyed the idea of her. She'd made him proud of her once and she could do it again. How could she make him see that he was the only reason she was stronger now? She didn't want him to just see the wounded kitten he'd taken in one cold night. She needed him to see that she could still do so much more on her own. Queenie didn't know what she wanted just yet. She had much more to do on the Isle and she couldn't do it if he was still standing over her. This time she had to do it alone._

 _She just hoped he wouldn't try and 'hook' her before she had a chance to do any of that._

 _"Fine, traitor." The pirate finally agreed, and Queenie suddenly felt anxious. He wouldn't give her up that easy. He was much too possessive for that._

 _Queenie got to her feet and shoved her hand forward, the book hanging dangerously from her hand. "Call me a traitor again and I drop it." She snapped. She wasn't a traitor, she knew that. It didn't matter that Harry didn't know why she was acting out, he should have known better than to call her such a wretched name._

 _"Fine. Deal. Now give me the damn book!" Uma yelled impatiently, holding out her own arm._

 _"Give me your word." Queenie said to her, and Uma's brows raised in question. "I want you to give me your word as Captain of your ship. Harry doesn't come for me, or send anyone else after me. Got it?" A part of her thought she was asking for too much, but she couldn't help it. She was naturally skittish and she had to know that she wouldn't go back into the tunnel half-dead again._

 _"I swear to you Queenie, daughter of the Red Queen, that Harry and my crew will leave you alone. I give you my word as Captain of this ship." Uma said loudly._

 _It was done. If Uma went against her word after this, and Harry did come for her, then everyone would know that the Captain wasn't a woman of her word. Pirates were a finicky bunch, but they usually took their oaths seriously. Even on the Isle._

 _"Well then," Queenie sighed in slight relief. "Here yah go." She tossed the book across the way and, thankfully, Uma caught it with ease._

 _"Thank you." Uma spoke, quickly glancing through the pages to make sure it wasn't some kind of trick._

 _Queenie nodded and looked away, her eyes taking note of the strange shape in the air. The barrier was opening._

 _"Everyone sit tight and wait for me!" Uma yelled at her crew, taking position at the edge of the ship. "Make sure you watch the show ladies and gentlemen, I'm taking this thing down." And with that, the sea witch's daughter dived into the waves, disappearing from view._

 _The princess of Hearts didn't move at first. She crossed her arms, suddenly taking note of the chill in the air, and stared at the spot where Uma had disappeared. She'd finally done it. She was finally free from Harry, and she didn't need to think about the core-four any more. She could finally focus on her own well-being, instead of someone else's._

 _"Princess." A familiar voice sang, and Queenie lifted her head._

 _"What? You wanna threaten me? Go ahead. Give it all you got." She said to him, thoroughly exhausted as she leaned against the wall of the tunnel._

 _"Well, I only make threats when I plan on going through with them love." Harry shrugged, leaning against the railing that trailed the edges of the ship. He didn't seem to care that his clothes were saggy and full of water. "But I will tell ye this," Harry jumped up to sit on said railing, pointing his hook in her direction. "I'm comin' for ye, princess. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but eventually. I can promise ye that." He finished dangerously._

 _Queenie attempted to ignore the fear that slowly began creeping in. Instead, she settled on smiling at the pirate. "I know. I'll be waiting. Bye Harry." She waved, turning and closing her eyes as she began her journey through the tunnel._

The brown-haired girl jumped as a loud sound came through her TV speakers. The introduction period was over and the Cotillion was finally about to start.

"And now," A tall man dressed in a gold and cream coloured suit announced. "The future Lady Mal."

Queenie giggled and rolled her eyes. "If I told her that six months ago she would have punched me in the face." She muttered towards herself.

Soon enough Mal appeared on the small screen. Her purple hair had been fashioned into a long braid that hung down over her right shoulder. Her dress was amazing, sure, but Queenie couldn't help but judge. Auradon colours didn't suit the former VK. Maybe Mal knew it too as, even through the fuzzy signal, Queenie could see the look of worry and anxiousness on the girl's face.

Eventually Mal disappeared from view and the trumpets sounded once again, the same man from before standing front and centre. "King Benjamin."

Queenie had to admit, the boy looked a lot better in his Kingly attire, and she wondered if that was what caught Mal's attention when they first met. His smile, the way he walked; Every part a royal.

Applause rang out from the TV speakers and Queenie watched as he descended the stairs, joining his girlfriend at the bottom. There was something amiss. She couldn't hear what was said, but the way his eyes seemed to speak instead said everything.

It wasn't until Uma appeared that Queenie knew what the problem was.

Even over the slightly-static noise of the TV Queenie could hear the mutters and gasps of confusion from the people on the ship. If she hadn't been the one to give Uma Mal's spell-book, or hadn't seen the girl cannon-ball into the ocean earlier in the day, she was sure she'd have been just as surprised. After all, the seemingly perfect King of Auradon was in the midst of telling his current girlfriend that he'd found someone else. On live TV, in front of a lot of people. Queenie would be seriously shocked if the former VK didn't punch him in the face for this.

Queenie watched rather intently as Ben took Uma's hand as she descended the stairs, placing a small kiss upon the back of her knuckles. Such an act baffled the young princess. Was kissing the back of someone's hand a thing in Auradon? Some kind of display of affection? Because to her it was just plain strange. People on the Isle did things a lot differently. P.D.A wasn't a big thing, but it did happen. Queenie often remembered seeing such things, though they usually consisted of two people making out in the corner somewhere. Never had she seen such a gentle way of showing someone they cared.

"I'm sorry, it all happened so fast." Ben said to Mal who, Queenie could clearly see, was both confused and extremely caught off guard. "Something happened to me when I was on the Isle with Uma. A connection." Ben attempted to explain.

"So, uh, what are you saying?" Mal asked him.

"Live TV is awesome." Queenie said out loud. She hadn't really been involved in much drama that didn't usually effect her in some way, and to see it happening to someone else was a little relieving.

When Uma and Ben began gushing at each other over the TV Queenie had to take a breath. A part of her felt guilty. She'd known Uma would take down the barrier when she got her hands on the book, but she hadn't intended on the girl hurting Mal so openly and harshly. Queenie knew what hurt felt like, she always would. What she saw in Mal's eyes on the TV was complete and utter devastation, and that was enough to get the teen thinking. She'd put everyone at Auradon in danger just to free herself from one, albeit terrifying, pirate. For the first time in a while she'd been selfish, and now she was starting to feel the downsides.

"Don't you see Mal," Ben said on the TV, and Queenie pulled herself back from her overwhelming thoughts and feelings. "You were right. You knew that we weren't supposed to be together, and that's why you never told me you loved me."

There it was again. That word. Love? Queenie still didn't know what it was. _'I'll ask Harry tomorrow.'_ She told herself, only to bring herself back to earth seconds after. She wouldn't be speaking to him for a good, long while. Not until he calmed down anyway.

Mal disappeared from the screen once again and a beautiful melody appeared. Uma and Ben began to dance, both focussed on each other and completely ignoring the fact that a sad Mal was stood only a few feet away.

Queenie had every intention on turning off the TV, until the announcers voice called out again. "And now, for the unveiling of King Ben's masterpiece. Designed especially for his Lady."

The damned trumpets sounded again and Queenie rolled her eyes, now leaning forward in her seat. The 'masterpiece', as it turned out, was a large glass portrait of some kind. It showed Ben, Queenie assumed, down on one knee with Mal stood close, her dress her usual colour of choice along with her hair. Her eyes, however, were a bright, shining green. It was the prettiest thing Queenie had ever seen.

The focus went back to Ben but he wasn't who Queenie was looking for. Eventually she spotted Uma a little ways behind, her eyes warily glancing about the ship. She was nervous.

"Cover that back up!" She suddenly shouted, her true ways finally seeping through the princess-y façade. "I-I mean, why don't you tell them the present you have for me, Ben." Her tone changed quickly.

Ben shook his head, as though coming out of some kind of trance, and looked away from the portrait. "Uma will be joining the court tonight as my Lady." He announced, taking the girls hands in his own.

"Son," A man, who Queenie couldn't see due to the focus staying on Ben and Uma, said suddenly.

"Not now dad!" Ben yelled viciously, his facial features twisting as he grimaced. "Um, so, as my gift to her, I'm bringing down the barrier once and for all."

The gasps rang out once again, but Queenie wasn't too worried about that. She knew that Uma wanted to help the Isle, but taking down the barrier wasn't the way to do it. All taking it down would do was set every villain on the Isle free. It was a good thing, but it was also a bad thing. The children on the Isle didn't deserve the lives they were born into, but the adults needed to stay on the Isle. It was their bad and ruthless deeds that had them thrown on the Isle in the first place. If the parents were freed, then no one would be safe. Not even the children.

"Fairy Godmother, bring it down." Ben said gently.

"I most certainly will not."

"I am your King!" He shouted, not as sweet any more.

"Ben." Mall called out, and she soon came back into view on Queenie's small TV screen. "Look at me." She said softly. A small tug-of-war battle began between her and Uma, both demanding Ben's attention. It was Mal that won in the end. "Ben, I didn't tell you that I loved you because I thought I wasn't good enough. And I thought it would only be a matter of time before you noticed that yourself, but Ben that's me." She said gleefully, gesturing behind him at the portrait. "I'm part Isle and part Auradon. And Ben, you've always known who we were and who we can be. I know what love feels like now." Mal told him, and Queenie's brows furrowed. She really had to find someone who could explain it to her. "Of course I love you, I've always loved you." And with that, she firmly placed her lips against the Kings.

Queenie had seen very few kisses on the Isle. She herself had never experience such a thing, so she didn't quite understand the appeal. What she had seen, however, had been people shoving their tongues in the others mouths rather violently. It always seemed like such a weird and unnatural thing to do. What Mal and Ben were doing was nothing like that. Their mouths didn't move at all, they just connected. It was so intimate and Queenie had to force herself to watch. She didn't understand it when Ben and Mal were arguing, she still didn't fully get it, but as she watched she realised that no matter how different she'd assumed the two to be with their personalities, they had _something._

"Give it to me!" Uma growled out, lunging towards someone. Whatever Uma had done to Ben, Mal's kiss had seemed to have taken him out of it. Now Uma was desperate.

"Guards!" The other woman cried out.

Queenie gripped her blanket with both hands, almost falling off the couch in an attempt to get closer. Never had she been so absorbed in what was going on in Auradon until this moment. She watched as Uma rushed towards the edge of the boat, everyone else chasing after her.

"Uma wait! Look, I know you." Mal was speaking now, in a clear attempt to get through to the sea witch's daughter. "You are more than just a villain. And you have to believe me because I've been there. Do not let your pride get in the way of something you really want." She begged. Even after everything Uma had done, Mal was giving her a chance to start over, to be someone else.

For a moment, Queenie genuinely thought Uma was about to break, to take Mal's offered hand and make peace with it. She was stupid to think such a thing. Because as soon as Mal got a little close, Uma turned and jumped into the water.

Unfortunately, Queenie's signal cut off just after that. The last thing she saw was a large wave of water and then...nothing. "Shit!" The girl yelled loudly, banging the top of the TV and fiddling with the antenna. Nothing worked. It must've been something over there that cut the power out.

 _'Oh great.'_ Queenie thought to herself, letting out a small huff as she switched off the TV. Now what was she supposed to do?

~...~...~

Queenie was in the midst of a wonderful sleep when she heard it. Loud and repeated banging on her door. It startled her, since she still hadn't had the chance to VK proof the den yet, and she wondered if Harry had somehow found a loop-hole in the deal she made with Uma and sent someone after her. She had every intention of leaving whoever it was there, but she didn't try to sleep again. She wanted to make sure they were gone before she put her head back on the pillow. She didn't want to be caught off guard...again.

"Queenie! Queenie!"

The princess jumped up as soon as she realised she knew who it was. He sounded scared and panicked and she wondered if Uma had come back. She didn't care too much for the Captain, but she did for the boy on the other side of the door.

"Gil!" Queenie yelled after she finally opened the door. She'd had to unlock every bolt on the thing but she didn't care, and she found herself unable to contain her excitement at the sight of her friend. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Problem at Uma's." He breathed, and she wondered if he'd ran all the way from the docks.

"I'm not...I mean," Queenie tried to explain that she wasn't a part of their world any more, but in a way that wouldn't hurt the son of Gaston.

"It's Harry." Gil said quickly, and she froze. "Uma didn't come back. He's angry. Really, really angry." He told her.

"I don't know what you expect me to do, he hates me!" Queenie exclaimed. She wanted to help, mainly because Gil sounded so desperate and afraid. He was usually upbeat, no matter the circumstance, so she knew that whatever fit Harry was throwing had to be a bad one. One she wasn't too eager to step into.

"Please help me. No one else will." Gil was practically begging, and Queenie found herself falling for his expression. He looked lost and anxious and so confused, like he had no idea what to do.

Queenie sighed exasperatedly and cursed the Captain out in her mind repeatedly. She should have been back by now, surely the magic in Auradon would've given her a way back into the Isle. Queenie wasn't sure what Uma was up to, maybe she was off helping the Isle, but they had no way to know that since the signal had cut out before they saw how the Cotillion ended. What terrified Queenie more than ever was the thought of an enraged Harry with no one to calm him down. That was Uma's job. And with her away in Auradon, Harry had free reign to do what he liked until she came back as long as it didn't have consequences for them in any way.

A part of her wanted to apologize to Gil and tell him that she couldn't help, that she wasn't the right person to talk to. Harry wasn't too happy with her and she assumed the sight of her would just make things worse, but if Uma couldn't be here to make him see sense, then who would? Everyone on the Isle seemed to be scared of Harry, herself included when he was angry, and no one would be stepping up any time soon to take him on. The only thing Queenie knew for sure was that he could seriously hurt himself. His temper took hold far worse than hers did and he preferred to hook, or punch. Eventually he'd only wind up cutting his hand or, if he was feeling particularly dramatic, jump into the ocean in a stupid attempt to find his Captain. Uma had always been around, so him not having her there was probably driving him mad.

"Fuck." Queenie groaned, throwing her head back in annoyance. She was going to have to do it. She owed him that much. "Okay, I'll help you." She reluctantly agreed, and Gil visibly brightened. "Let me grab my shoes."

~...~...~

The journey to the shop felt incredibly short. Queenie wasn't sure if it was because she was scared, or if it was that adrenaline kicking in again. Her mind raced and she fought to keep the worst thoughts at bay. Harry was the most infuriating person she'd ever met. One part of her couldn't stand to be near him, mainly due to fear and the anxiety he caused her. And then there was another part of her, a part that couldn't handle the thought of him hurting himself, even if he was being an absolute idiot. He'd done so much for her, she couldn't let him down again. She had to search through the parts of her brain for the better times she'd shared with him, in the hopes she'd stumble upon something that could help her. Nothing strong came to mind, but she knew it'd be there when she needed it. She hoped it would, anyway.

Gil's running started to slow until he eventually stopped, and Queenie did the same. She bent over, one hand gripping the wooden railing while the other was pressed against her chest. She attempted to regain her breathing and slow her speeding heart. Gil didn't seem at all effected by the trip and she partly resented him for that. Here she was, practically puking on the floor and he was fine and dandy.

It was fucking irritating.

"What's she doing here?" A female voice asked, and Queenie finally found the strength to look up. The whole crew were hovering outside of Ursula's chip shop, all staring down at where she stood with distrust and anger in their eyes.

"She's gonna help." Gil told the pirate, and she scowled.

Queenie often forgot just how close Gil was to Uma and Harry. He was a crew member, and while he was below Harry he was still above the rest. No matter how naive he was at times, he still held a little power when it was needed. "Don't look at me like that. I'm the last resort." Queenie said rudely. She didn't have the time to deal with the crew, she had more pressing matters at hand. "Where's Harry?"

No one answered. They didn't have to. A loud, violent crash rang out from inside the shop and everyone either jumped or flinched. None of them were going to go in and stop him, so the job now fell to her.

Uma would owe her big when she came back.

"Okay." Queenie muttered, wringing her hands as she paced back and forth. She needed a plan, something to fall back on if things didn't go well. "Gil." She turned to the large teen and he stood to attention. "If I call you, you come in and get me out, okay? Only if I call your name. Got it?" She had to be thorough with him. If he slipped up because he forgot this simple rule then things could take a turn for the worst. He was the only friend she had left, and even though her mind told her she was being an idiot again she had to know she could rely on him for this.

"Got it." He said, but only after repeating the words to himself a few times.

"Okay. Okay." She repeated the words in a soothing manner, an attempt to calm her frazzled nerves. Whenever Harry had a tantrum before, she made sure to run away as fast as possible. Yet here she was, walking straight towards it and risking her life in the process.

Queenie moved towards the entrance to the shop, her feet dragging as she rubbed her sweaty palms against her skirt.

"Here." A voice said suddenly, and she jumped. She turned her head to see the very girl who'd given her attitude when she first got to the shop. "You'll need this." She offered Queenie a sword.

"I have no idea how to use this." Queenie admitted, though she took it anyway.

"Figures." The girl chuckled, and Queenie narrowed her gaze. "Don't kill him. You kill him, we kill you. Got it?"

"You're an idiot if you think it's him you should worry about." Queenie snapped, lightly rolling her eyes. The pirate said nothing back, but stepped aside and towards the rest of the crew. It was time.

Queenie wasn't too sure what to expect when she walked into the shop. If she was being honest with herself, she hadn't expected to even get through the doors, but since it was so quiet she assumed Harry had decided to take a little break. Clearly he'd outdone himself, if the mess in Ursula's shop was anything to go by.

The place was a complete wreck. Shards of glass scattered across the floor, chairs thrown over along with the tables they'd been near. The TV had been smashed in, its remains trailing along the wooden floor. Bottles and other miscellaneous items had been tossed from the old, unstable shelves, whatever they'd been holding either on the floor or thrown across the walls. The only thing that remained untouched, from what Queenie could see at the moment, was Uma's chair. It was in the exact same place it always was, not a single mark on it.

The princess assumed quickly that Ursula had gone slithering back into the ocean somewhere. If she'd been present when Harry lost his shit, she'd have surely drowned him.

Queenie took a small step forward, the fingers of her right hand moving to hold her pendant. She couldn't see Harry. If she could see where he was and suss out how pissed off he was feeling, she'd at least know which way to run to avoid being hurt, but he was nowhere to be seen. This thought terrified her.

It was so quiet. A little _too_ quiet for Queenie's liking. She took a deep, reassuring breath and turned. She couldn't do it. She'd apologise to Gil profusely, let him know that Harry had calmed down on his own. All she wanted to do now was go back home and rest.

She really should've known things wouldn't be that easy.

"Hello there princess." Harry grinned madly, the fingers of his free hand firmly grasping her throat. His hat and coat where gone, she had no idea where as she hadn't seen them when she came in. His hair was an absolute mess and his eyes, lined with black, held a rising fire within them.

 _'Oh shit.'_ Queenie thought. She opened her mouth to speak, and the hand against her skin tightened. She was absolutely screwed.

"Ah, ah, ah, no speakin', alright?" Harry warned, and his smile left quickly. "You speak when I say. You run an' I'll kill ye. Now, what the fuck are ye doin' here?" He asked, his blue eyes glaring down at her.

The grip he had loosened and Queenie knew she could speak. "I work here, remember?"

That was the wrong thing to say and she knew it. It seemed her new-found freedom had made her just a little bit too cocky. She forgot that sarcasm and snappy come-backs wouldn't help her with Harry.

Harry laughed loudly and yanked her closer by her neck, his hook harshly digging into her temple. "Aye, ye do. But not now. Ye should be home, where ye always are. Now I'll ask ye again. What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" He demanded, and Queenie felt a sting on the side of her face.

"Gil told me to come!" She finally admitted. His hook wasn't pressed too hard, just enough to draw blood, but she was scared. She just hoped Harry wouldn't go after Gil when he was done with her.

"An' why would he do that?" He asked her, his eyes staring at the red line trailing down her face.

"B-because he's worried about _you,_ Harry." Queenie stated. She had to fight to keep her eyes on his face, knowing that taking them away would mean something else to him. If she looked away, or down, then it would be a sign of submission. If she didn't face him off now, he'd easily dig his hooks into her again, but much tighter than he had before.

"He shouldn' be, he should be more worried about ye." He growled, his gaze growing harder than before. He knew what she was doing. He knew she was fighting back and he didn't like it.

"I know that." Queenie retorted, attempting to calm her growing frustration. "What's wrong?" She asked him gently.

The scowl that his face held disappeared and his eyes searched hers, for what she wasn't sure. Either way, he wasn't too pleased. He simply let out a loud yell and released her, tossing her to the floor. "Why the fuck do ye care? Eh?!" He stomped his way across the floor, and she quickly realised he was circling her.

"I know you think I don't care, Harry." Queenie muttered, only now realising she still held the sword. "But I do." She moved just in time, as his foot came down hard, just where her hand rested. The glass on the floor cracked again, and Queenie jumped to her feet, spinning to face him.

"Oh my little princess," Harry tutted, tilting his head as he also noticed her weapon. "Ye wanna fight me, Queenie?" He asked with amusement. Harry surprised her when his stance straightened, his arms held out wide. "Give it yer bes' shot. Ye get one free pass, since yer new ta this."

Queenie thought she was going mad. For a split-second she thought she saw his eyes light up with, what seemed to be, excitement. Did he want her to fight him? "I'm not here to fight you Harry. Even if I was, I know better than to get into a fight I know I can't win." She wasn't stupid. If she tried to hurt him, he had every right to defend himself and, when Uma came back, he'd claim that he'd only killed her because she came for him first. The entire crew stood outside, so everyone knew she'd come here of her own free will, and that pirate girl had given her a sword. It didn't matter what she'd said to them, if Harry said she tried to kill him then they'd go along with it. After all, their loyalty stayed with the first-mate, not his old 'friend'.

Harry's face dropped and Queenie knew her assumptions were correct. "Then why are ye here?!" He demanded once more, easily knocking the sword from her untrained hands.

"Why do you think?!" Queenie screamed back. Her temper was getting the best of her, again, but this time it was for him. He was so hung up on the thought of her betraying him that he didn't even think that for a second she actually cared, and that wound her up more than anything. "Is it so hard for you to believe? I'm here because I want to be, Harry. I'm here because I care what happens to you."

A loud 'smack' echoed through the empty shop. During her rant, Queenie had gotten a lot closer to Harry than she ever would have, and her ever-growing rage had taken over. She only realised too late what she'd done, and she hated the fact it felt so refreshing.

Harry's head snapped to the side at her hit, and when it turned back she froze. He wasn't angry, if anything he seemed...satisfied, for lack of a better word. "Ye've never hit me before, darlin'." He pointed out, and Queenie shrugged.

"You've never pushed me that far before." Was all she could think to say.

A loud clanking sound was heard and Queenie felt him grab her again. This time, however, he had both hands around her neck instead of one. He was going to kill her. "Do ye have any idea how long I waited for that?" He said, and her eyes widened in obvious confusion. "I waited for the day ye'd _finally_ fight me back, love. An' now ye have." His smile worried her slightly, but she chose not to speak. "I did it." He chuckled in astonishment. "I did what those traitors couldn't. I made ye stronger."

Queenie found herself utterly dumbfounded. He was calming down. He was actually coming down, because she fought back? "Yeah, you did." She uttered, unable to hide her wonder. "You did this Harry." It finally came to her. All those moments they'd had where he'd told her how wonderful she could be, how much she had to offer if she only 'let go'. All this time he'd wanted the same thing from her that she did from him; Praise. "You took me in when I was _nothing,_ when I couldn't even fight anyone and made me into _something_." Harry seemed so transfixed on her words, so she continued in the hopes of bringing him all the way back to earth. "It took you a few months to do something the VK's couldn't. _You_ made me see everything, Harry. You did it." Queenie knew she was only feeding his ego, but she didn't care. If it helped him and didn't risk her freedom, she'd do it.

Harry's body sagged in relief and he took a breath, leaning his head back as his hands slid away from her throat. He took a quick glance at the destruction and grabbed a nearby chair, flopping down. "I did it." He repeated to himself, a small smile appearing. It wasn't an angry smile, or even a threatening smirk. It was something else.

"Thank you, Harry. Thank you so much." Queenie pressed. For the first time in her life, she was looking down at him, and he was letting her.

The pirate took her by surprise when he gripped her skirt and tugged. She jumped and, for a second, wondered if he was going to hurt her again. He didn't. "My princess," Harry muttered in thought, pulling until she was forced to straddle his legs. "This is all I ever wanted for ye, I hope ye know that." He spoke, his right hand sliding through her brown locks and holding tight.

Queenie chewed her bottom lip in deep thought. She wasn't used to this. Harry was always so rough and demanding with her, and though he wasn't being gentle now, he was actually showing her something other than control. It both scared and excited her and she knew that she could get drunk on the feeling. She wasn't sure what it was, but it made her sick and still she wanted more of it. "Why were you so angry, Harry?" She had to know. Even if it wasn't the right moment, as his temper could come back quickly if she wasn't careful, she simply had to know.

"Because ye weren't here."

"You trashed Uma's place because I wasn't here?" She asked, and he nodded. "You knew Gil would come for me." Queenie sighed knowingly.

"Oh I counted on it." Harry chuckled in reply, and Queenie felt her stomach twist once more. She'd felt happy that she'd calmed him down, but now she knew that'd been his plan all along. He'd been betting on her and he'd won. "Ye took the bait, darlin'. I didn' know ye had such a temper though, not until I saw ye give Jay hell when they came back. I jus' had ta see it again." He grinned, his tongue between his teeth as his eyes shined.

"What about Uma?" Queenie asked curiously.

"What about 'er? I trust my Captain an' I know she's okay. If she wasn't we'd know."

Queenie wanted to look away but she couldn't. His grip was even harder now, she couldn't possibly turn her head without him yanking it back. "Did the crew know about this 'plan'?" She asked.

Harry shook his head. "Nope. It was a last-minute thing if I'm hones'."

"What would you have done if I didn't come?" Queenie asked.

"I would've let ye go."

Harry had done it again. In a sick, twisted attempt to prove his dominance he'd done something absolutely ridiculous. Queenie hadn't ever thought he'd do something as drastic as this to reel her in, but she was wrong. She'd severely underestimated her opponent. Her thoughts on Uma's ship hadn't been wrong after all. Him simply agreeing to let her go _had_ been way too easy. Even if she was free from him, he would never let her go. Not now that she'd shown him how much she cared for him. Now he really knew how much of a hold he had over her. She didn't belong to him any more, and yet she still did.

He noticed her putting everything together in his head, and he was enjoying it more than ever. "Ye thought I was done with ye? I'm not even close." Harry pulled her in by her head until she couldn't possibly get any closer. "Whether ye like it or not, darlin', ye're still _mine._ My princess, my Queenie. I've got a soft spot for ye an' I ain't lettin' ye go any time soon. Ye may think ye can live without me, but ye can't. Not now, not ever."

Queenie gasped as he closed the space between them. His mouth was on hers so fast she didn't have time to register the action. What she did know, however, was that there was something there. The kiss was hard and bruising, much like the pirate himself, and she couldn't pull away even if she wanted to. Thankfully, he made the decision for her.

"Don't look so betrayed, love. I like ye, I do, but ye fucked me over in front of _everyone._ " Harry said softly, but all Queenie wanted to do was go home. "I could take this from ye." He said, his fingers ghosting over the heart around her neck. "But I don' need it. Not when I have the real one."

Queenie couldn't speak. He'd taken her first kiss from her as if it had belonged to him all this time. It'd been hers to give. It didn't matter what she felt when he kissed her, all that mattered was what she felt now. Self-loathing and whatever feeling Harry had brought out in her did not mix well. It left a bitter taste on her tongue.

"Now, why don't ye clean the place up, eh? We're not payin' ye for nothin'." Harry declared, standing with her still wrapped around him. He lowered her to the floor carefully, something she hadn't expected, and headed towards the counter for his hat and coat, she realised.

"W-where are you going?" She found the strength to ask, and he turned.

"To the ship." Harry said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Me and the crew deserve a break after today. Have fun lass." And with that, he left, that usual swagger back in his step.

* * *

 **AN**

 **Holy hell that was a long chapter. I really, really hope you guys liked it. I did want there to be somewhat of a tender moment between Harry and Queenie, but you have to remember that Harry is still Harry. He's mad at Queenie and that's not going to go any time soon.**

 **Big thank-you to everyone who've reviewed, followed or favourited. You guys are awesome! Please remember to leave a review and let me know what you think. This is not the end of the story, there's still a lot more in store for Queenie and Harry, and there relationship will start to change from this point, so I hope you stick around for that.**

 **Apologies for any typo's, I'll take them out if I see them when I read through.**


	9. Chapter 9

"Order up." Queenie sighed with a bored tone, placing the tray down in front of whatever pirate had ordered. She fiddled with the dirty apron tied to her waist and left, heading back towards the kitchens.

It'd been a week since the Cotillion, and a week since Uma had left. Harry was running the crew now as a temporary captain, they were still collecting money from local businesses and the barrier was still in place. Nothing had made any dramatic changes, though Queenie had noticed a few tid-bits. There were more supplies coming in from Auradon on the ships. No longer were they being tossed the scraps and left-overs from Auradon, they were now getting some genuinely fresh foods, along with cloth and medicines in perfect condition. It seemed that whatever had happened back on the ship that they hadn't seen, Uma had somehow made herself heard. It didn't matter that they hadn't seen the Captain at all, she was going through with one of her promises and coming through for the Isle. Something the VK's had never even attempted once they'd left. And, after a rather violent altercation on the ship a few days previous, no one dared to ask Harry or Gil about Uma's whereabouts. The people on the docks, for maybe the first time in a while, were finally content with what they had.

That wasn't all that had changed. Queenie hadn't even realised at first, but now she did. Since she'd come running to Harry that night, the crew had been treating her, in her opinion, well. Before everything had gone down the crew would always stare, mutter something or other under their breath when she walked by, and some even went as far as to shout out an insult or two. If Harry wasn't around, that is. She'd be shoved, tripped when delivering someone's order, and many often decided to start an argument with the young princess, demanding they be given the 'right' order, when she knew for a fact it was. They pushed their luck back then, and Harry was always there to get her out of it. Now, though, they did none of that. No one stared any more and the nasty remarks had completely faded. They didn't try anything, they didn't even speak unless she was asking what they wanted to eat or drink. It seemed that her actions with the current Captain had given her a little respect from the bunch, and she was so grateful for that. None had asked what she did to calm Harry and she didn't think it necessary to explain. The only one to ask had been Gil, after seeing the cut on her face, but even he didn't talk about it. She'd given him a small shake of the head for him to let it be, and he did.

Harry had been her main concern, of course. Queenie had been exhausted that night, cleaning, mopping and scrubbing until her hands cramped. Her mind hadn't been much better either. All she could think about then was what Harry would do to her. He wouldn't go against Uma's promise, she knew that much, but he had a way of sneaking around certain technicalities, and it worried Queenie to death. It took a day or two for her to realise there was truly nothing for her to worry about. Harry stayed away from her, for the most part. If he needed her, he'd call her by her real name, no more 'princess' or other alternative nicknames. He didn't stand over her, or come too close like he used to, he just let her be. Every now and again, however, Queenie would feel his gaze and a shiver would make its way through her body, the hairs on her arms raising. It happened more often than she'd like, though it was sometimes a reassuring kind of feeling. The thought that Harry still kept an eye on her, even now, sent a strange warmth through her chest. She still didn't know what that was, a part of her wished it'd disappear in time, though another part hoped it would always be there.

With no one left to serve, Queenie twisted behind the main counter, settling herself down onto a chair. She lifted a hand to her chain and fiddled, staring down at the table in thought.

There weren't many left on the Isle in regards to VK's. Some were still wandering about, but Queenie paid no mind to them. The only one she cared about was Dizzy. She'd been one of the first to go, and Queenie hadn't been too surprised. The little Tremaine was meant to be in Auradon, creating her necklaces and jewellery for those who'd truly appreciate her talent for hair and beauty. The one thing that stayed in Queenie's mind was that she hadn't had a chance to say goodbye. Everything that had happened had gone by so fast. She'd had to remind herself that Dizzy hadn't meant to hurt her, she was probably just scared of Harry. Plus, she was still a child. It didn't really matter that she'd been raised on the Isle, Dizzy was sweet and small and so quick to submit to intimidation; Much like Queenie herself. The princess hadn't even got the chance to tell Dizzy that she forgave her for what she did. Queenie just hoped the little one knew it anyway.

Talking to Dizzy had been one of the things on Queenie's to-do list. The other was talk to her mom and, since she hadn't seen the woman since she'd stumbled her way into the tunnel, Queenie wasn't too eager to jump over that hurdle just yet.

A loud, over-exaggerated laugh echoed in the shop and Queenie rolled her eyes. Harry was back.

"Queenie!" The pirate demanded.

"Yes Harry?" The teen asked, attempting to stay focussed on her sudden task of cleaning down the tables. Whenever he came in she tried to look busy, knowing that if she wasn't invested in anything useful he'd find something else for her to do. Usually scrub the deck, or worse...tidy his bedroom.

"Some drinks for me an' my new friends." He said, and Queenie nodded. Whenever he made sure to put extra emphasis on the word 'friend', he really meant possible ally. There were still a few stores they didn't collect money from and Harry was making that his main focus, attempting to persuade the owners that they needed his protection. He usually came through, after all he was nothing if not persuasive. She would know better than anyone.

"I guess you want the good stuff then." Queenie assumed, looking up to face him. He was closer than she'd thought, and she fought to keep her gaze level with his.

Harry smirked and nodded. "Aye. These are _very special_ people after all. The only ones left, actually." He told her, and she nodded in understanding.

"Anything extra this time?" She asked him, her eyes flickering towards his lips. She didn't mean to do it, but since he'd kissed her she found herself wondering more and more. She needed to know what that feeling was, and he was the only one who could show her.

"Nope." His smile grew as he noticed the action, but he didn't say anything about it. "They don't seem like fighters."

If Harry ever thought he'd have some problems with customers, whether they were there for a deal or not, he'd have Queenie crush up a few sleeping pills to slip into their next drink. She wasn't completely sure what he did with them after that, she only saw the unconscious bodies being dragged out of the shop. Queenie did, however, take note of the next time she saw them, with either cuts or bruises or worse on their faces. It didn't matter if they were a girl or a boy, the result was always the same. What Harry wanted, Harry got.

"How many?" Queenie asked, tossing the dirty rag to the side.

"Three. I'll only take half a glass, darlin'. Need to keep myself together after all."

"Oh, of course. Wouldn't want you losing your temper." Queenie jabbed light-heartedly. She'd learnt quickly that Harry took her small mutters or comments, if she meant well, with amusement. He didn't scold her or threaten, he just laughed, or usually gave as good as he got. There was a playfulness there that hadn't been before, and Queenie enjoyed it. "Three glasses coming right up, Captain."

Queenie headed out back into the kitchen. She didn't miss the way Harry's eyes trailed slowly down her small frame, or how he bit his bottom lip at her words. For some reason he enjoyed being called 'captain'. Even if it was a temporary position, he must've known the power that came with it, and Queenie knew full-well that while he had no problem being Uma's first-mate, being the Captain would always tempt him. His father was, so it only made sense that Harry would want the same thing. Calling him by that title made him happy and, despite everything, Queenie would always be quick to ensure that. She just couldn't help it.

The young princess liked to think herself good at her job. She could round anyone's order up quicker than any other waiter or waitress if the cook got them out on time, and she prided herself on that very fact. It wasn't something huge, but it was something big to her. So it was no surprise to anyone when she rushed out of the back no more than five minutes later, three small glasses filled with liquid balancing on a round, black tray in her left hand.

"Here yah go." Queenie declared, gently lowering the tray to the table. She'd seen Harry clearly, but she hadn't seen the people he was dealing with just yet. Though she wasn't too interested. If they weren't staying on the ship or living near the docks, she probably wouldn't see them again after.

"Thank ye lass." Harry said, setting out the glasses on the table. When he was done Queenie picked up her tray, seeing a pirate from the corner of her eye waving her over.

"You look familiar,"

"Yeah. What's your name?"

Queenie looked up and took a breath, having every intention to tell them they didn't need to know who she was. Things took a different turn in a terrifying way. Instead the young girls entire body stopped, the only thing she could realise herself doing was blinking. The tray was long forgotten, the piece of plastic falling from her hands and clattering to the floor. She felt the bile in her throat along with a disgusting taste in her mouth and she thought, for a moment, that she would throw up all over Harry.

 _"I'm doing this for your own good, Queenie. You should not have left.'_ She heard her mother say. Even now she felt the pain of that first hit in her abdomen, her mothers guards delivering a harsh blow on a spot too tender to even touch.

"I...um," Queenie couldn't speak, her mouth felt much too dry to even mutter a word. She turned to Harry, completely relying on her gaze to translate for him. Did he know who they were? What they'd done to her? He knew, of course he knew. Harry knew everything.

"Ye okay there Queenie?" He asked, seemingly worried. Harry nodded once, a small and simple nod, and she knew. No one could've seen it if they weren't focussing directly on his face, but she was. Harry _did_ know.

"I-I have to, uh, I have to-"

"I know, love." Harry assured, gesturing towards the exit. "Go on. I'll 'ave someone cover for ye."

Queenie nodded in thanks and swiftly left. She'd tell him how much she appreciated it later, but for now she had other things to deal with. She had to find somewhere to puke.

~...~...~

An hour later Harry still sat with the two men. Like he'd promised the little princess, he soon found someone else to take over for her, and he made sure to let them know to keep the drinks coming. Usually he wouldn't bother. Making a deal was easier when the people were slightly buzzed instead of full on hammered, but this was a special occasion. Of course he still wanted the deal, the Red Queen's salon was the last on his list to take over, and he was going to do just that. However, something essential rattled through his messed up brain.

Harry knew full well, after a few talks with Queenie, that her mother had helped put her in the tunnel. He was sure the Queen wouldn't get her own hands dirty and, after seeing Queenie's reaction to the two men he now drank with, his assumptions had been correct. The two guards, who only went by Red'1 and Red'2, had been the ones to hurt her. He wasn't too sure to what extent, though he did know they must've done quite a bit of damage. Queenie had told him a good few had taken hits at her, but these two had been the worst. Whether it was because her mother ordered the hit, or because the two stronger men had hurt her gruesomely, he wasn't sure. Either way, once he got the deal from the guards and it was all done, one of them would have to pay for what happened to his princess. He didn't care that he was still mad with her for leaving him. His anger towards those who hurt her outweighed anything she'd done, or could ever do, and no matter how strong she was becoming now, she still had some holes left that needed filling. Harry was the only one allowed to hurt Queenie, she was still his no matter what, and if he could take the Red Queen down a notch and make a good deal, then he'd take it.

A small smile tugged at the edges of Harry's mouth. Oh how she'd love him after this.

"We don't need any protection." The guard on the left muttered, the drink in his hand spilling over the edges of the glass.

"Ye sure about that?" Harry asked, leaning comfortably in his seat, arms resting across the back. "With all these kids going off to Bore-Adon only the worst of the worst are gonna get left behin'. Everyone else are askin' for our help, what makes ye so special that ye don' need it?"

The guard on the right chuckled and shook his head. "We can take care of our Queen and everything she owns. We don't need some little kid in a pirate costume to do it for us." He slurred.

Harry stiffened and fidgeted in his chair. He'd take the insult, but only because he now knew which guard was getting 'hooked' later. "Ye follow the woman aroun' all day. What if ye don't know who did it? I know everythin', mate. Me and my crew can handle anyone without problem." Harry pressed.

"I'm sure you can, Hook. We've heard about you, how you 'deal' with people who screw you over. But we deal with people a little differently." That same guard spoke as he leaned forward, resting his forearm on the table. "Our Queen says 'off with their heads' and we do it. I want to know if _you_ could do it." He slung back his glass and finished his drink in one gulp.

"Oh I assure ye mate," Harry also leaned in, his eyes hardening just a fraction as he stared the older man down. "I can definitely do that."

The guard and Harry stared for a minute or two, both waiting for the others gaze to falter. Harry won, of course. Though he knew the drink helped. He'd been only sipping his while the two practically inhaled their own. Harry's father had taught him to do more than just sword-fight.

"Why not?" The other guard spoke suddenly, making Harry turn his head. "We could get a break for once. The red bitch might stay off our asses for a while."

Harry immediately spotted the opening and he slipped through. The Queen of Hearts was well-known for her temper, which he'd seen in Queenie, and she didn't care for details. If she thought for one moment that her guards had insulted her, they'd be dead by morning. "She's a hard one, eh?" He asked, keeping his voice light. They didn't need to know what he was up to. They probably wouldn't even remember what they'd said after they sobered up.

"Oh, you have no idea." The guard groaned, apparently relieved at the opportunity to rant about the queen. "She's a real pain in the neck." He laughed at his own joke, while Harry cracked a smile for added effect.

"What's she like?" Harry asked, gaze flickering between the two. One was more keen to speak than the other, which he took note of rather quickly. "She got any kids wanderin' about?"

"She was probably hot once." The guard Harry was dead-set on 'hooking' finally spoke up. "Not now."

"Now she just talks and talks, about herself. It's annoying as fuck." The other added.

"Then why'd ye work for 'er?" Harry asked, genuinely interested in the answer. He wouldn't work for anyone he didn't like, so he was rather intrigued.

"We came with her from Wonderland. She was allowed to take three things, so she took us and her kid. Probably thought she was getting shipped off to a Castle or something, idiot didn't think to take anything worth something."

That had Harry's mind reeling. The Red Queen had another child? "Ye what?"

"Thought you knew everything, boy." The guard chuckled spitefully.

"Red Queen didn't get chucked here until after they put the barrier up. Her sister wanted her kept in Wonderland but the King won. We got put here, what was it?" The guard muttered to himself in thought. "Around fifteen, sixteen years ago."

"Yer jokin'?" Harry was in a complete state of surprise, though he fought against showing it. Queenie wasn't born on the Isle like he always assumed, she was born in Wonderland. Her original home. It didn't matter now, since the Isle was where she seemed to want to stay, but it was something he thought she might like to know.

"Kid's a brat. Deserved what happened to her." The other guard said loudly, and Harry had to really fight this time. He was talking about Queenie.

"Really now?" Harry smirked, suddenly interested in what the man had to say even more than before. "How come?"

"Girl was always bossing us around, telling us what to do like she had the right." The 'talker', which Harry had now dubbed him, explained. "She left for a little while about a year ago, but she came back after. You remember that?" He asked the man next to him.

"Yeah." Was all he said, not too eager to talk about the princess.

"So she comes back one day, right?" The talker says intently, as though he were about to tell a long and very interesting story. "Black eye, busted lip; The works. Asks her mom to take her back, that she made a mistake leaving. I don't have any kids, but I couldn't handle what the woman made us do." He grimaced as he thought, and Harry wasn't sure if he still wanted to hear the story. It was Queenie, _his_ Queenie. He had to know how far they'd gone, how badly they'd hurt her.

"Her mom told her she was right." The other guard picked up where 'talker' had left off. "Said if she wanted to run around with thieves and bandits, then she'd be punished like one. First time she ain't told us to take someone's head. Seemed she did like the girl a little, told us to leave her alive. So we did."

Harry nodded and sipped his drink, realising his mouth had gotten considerably dry in the past few minutes. "She still walkin' about?" He asked, knowing full well that she was. He just wanted to hear more, to have another reason to kill one of them.

"I doubt it, we hurt her pretty good. She wasn't moving when we left her, but she had a heartbeat, so we had nothing to worry about." The talker shrugged.

"Where d'ye leave 'er?"

"Somewhere 'round here." He replied in thought. "Heard the worst of the worst lived here, I'm guessing someone else finished her off. Probably threw her off the side, girl probably got eaten by a shark or something."

Harry gripped the handle of his hook 'till his fingers went white. So, they thought his princess was dead? Oh, how wrong they were. She was doing pretty well for someone who'd been through such things. He'd helped her get there, but the rest she did on her own. "So, about this deal?" Harry steered the topic of conversation away from his princess, determined to finish up and go find the little one.

"What do you think?" The talker asked his companion.

"Why not? Load of pirates cleaning up our mess? Sounds like a good deal. We'll take it." The man agreed, and Harry grinned.

"Wonderful. How about another drink, eh lads? Somethin' to toast to." Much to Harry's satisfaction, both men nodded. He waved over Queenie's replacement and she quickly came, leaning down to better hear him. "Three Bloody Princesses, yeah?" The waitress nodded and rushed out back.

Ironically enough, the two men were about to be brought down by a drink named after the very girl they'd beaten. Queenie hadn't made the drink for specific events, it'd only come to her when, one rowdy night, a newcomer had been a little too rough with her. Harry hadn't been there, having had other things to deal with, as he knew full well if he had been there then that person would be at the bottom of the ocean right now. Thankfully, his little princess was a smart one. The sleeping pills were meant for any wounded pirates, hidden in a rusty tin they used as a first-aid box in the kitchens. She'd crushed two up and stirred them into the man's drink, adding a few drops of red food-dye to make any leftover particles the same colour as the wine. He'd found out about everything the next morning, and immediately decided to make it a regular thing for noisy patrons. Naming it after Queenie was fitting, since she'd created the damn thing. His own way of showing her how proud he was without coming outright and saying it.

Harry thought about Queenie often, maybe a little too often in his opinion. She was getting stronger. The way she flirted with him, whether she knew it or not, was exciting. Whenever her eyes lingered a little too long on his mouth, or the little smile that came to her face when she caught him watching her, her dimples peaking out at the motion. Harry truly thought she wouldn't come to him that night, but she had. She was still his little princess, still had eyes only for him. He had to show her how happy he was with her, and taking one of these guards was a start.

~...~...~

Queenie laid down on her couch and took a long, shaky breath. She hadn't eaten anything since that morning, the majority of it coming up and out of her mouth in long spurts after seeing her mom's guards in the shop. Even now, a few glasses of water later, she still felt unbearable nausea. The sight of them had done something dreadful to her mind. She couldn't even bring herself to leave the den. Seeing them was like going through the pain all over again, and a part of her blamed Harry. She had no idea why he'd brought them to the shop and thought it was a good idea. She'd talked to him about the ordeal, making sure he knew her mom had a hand in putting her in the tunnel, yet he went and made a deal with them anyway.

Queenie sobbed and clutched her stomach. All she could do now was dry-heave into the toilet, and her body was suffering for it. Her throat stung, her eyes burned from all the tears shed, and she trembled like she was freezing, even though she felt as if her body was on fire. Her head was pounding, and she could only mentally thank Uma for what she'd done in Auradon, as she now had a good few pain-killers hidden in the den to help with such matters. They didn't kill the ache, though, that was the only constant.

"Queenie."

The young princess could hear Harry's voice through the speaker. He'd probably decided to come for her since she hadn't turned up at the ship, or the shop.

"Let me in, darlin'." He pleaded.

Queenie groaned as she moved, attempting to pull any strength she had left together and open the door for him. She unlatched the main door and made her way towards the level, yanking on it firmly to open the door downstairs. Once that was done, she walked back towards the couch, falling down into the position she'd been in before. She didn't quite care if Harry wasn't too pleased with her current state, it was his fault in the first place, and he'd seen her in worse conditions than this. He'd have to deal with it.

It didn't take him long to get up the stairs, though it never did. He soon came through and she heard her door close again, the bolts and latches being put back in place.

"Oh, my little princess." She heard Harry sing softly, his boot-clad feet thudding through her den.

"Harry." Queenie whined. She was relieved to have him there. Even if he was the reason she was in so much pain, again, she needed him there. He was the only one she trusted to keep her safe when she felt so vulnerable.

"I'm here, love." Harry soothed. He took of his jacket and hat, tossing them onto a nearby table, and lifted Queenie's head, settling himself underneath her.

Queenie sighed and closed her eyes, nuzzling further into his lap. His hook ran gently through her hair, though she no longer feared it, now she welcomed the act. She turned and clutched at his torn shirt with both hands.

"What's wrong, Queenie?" He asked quietly.

"W-why did you b-bring them there?" Queenie asked, fighting against the sleep threatening to take over. She opened her eyes and stared up at him. "H-how could you do that?"

Harry sighed loudly. "You had ta see them, love. Ye wanna get stronger, don' ye?" He asked, and she nodded slowly. "Then it had ta happen. Ye _need_ ta face them, Queenie."

"I'm not ready." Queenie stated, shuffling until she sat straight, though she still leaned against him. "I can't do that, Harry. I can't. I can't! I won't do-"

Harry stopped her. The fingers of his un-hooked hand ran through her hair and gripped, tugging until she looked him in the eye. "Ye _have_ ta face them, Queenie. Ye're never gonna be ready for it, but ye have ta do it." Queenie's eyes blurred once more, the salty tears coming back. "I have one."

"Y-you what?" Queenie stuttered, all previous thoughts and worries pushed to the back of her mind. For now. "What are you gonna do to him?"

Harry smiled and leaned in, his forehead against hers. " _We,_ are gonna kill the bastard."

* * *

 **AN**

 **Okay, I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Again, big thank you to all who've reviewed and followed and favourited! Make sure to leave a review if you have any questions, or just to let me know how you're finding it.**

 **I've also made a polyvore account for those who want to know what Queenie looks like, or her clothes through-out the fic. Username is Mollymoomin96, so head on over there if you're interested.**

 **I'll remove any typos I see once I re-read through it. Thanks!**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN**

 **Hi guys! Just a quick author's note to give you a heads up about this chapter. It does contain some darker scenes. So, some pretty bad stuff to put it simply. Also, big, huge thank you to everyone who've commented and other stuff on this fic. I keep saying it but I need you guys to know how much I appreciate all the feedback.**

 **Also, again, Italic scenes are flashback scenes.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks for reading.**

* * *

Queenie stared ahead at the gold, swirling lights through the window, her eyes flickering in every direction with each movement they made. If she wasn't looking, she wouldn't have even been able to tell they'd left the Isle. The journey was so smooth and silent she felt as if she might fall asleep. She wouldn't, of course. She hadn't slept for three days. Her mind was worse now than it had ever been, which was why she was taking such drastic action. If she didn't, she wasn't sure what would happen, she dreaded to even think of it.

The young princess had dreamed of leaving the Island and going to Auradon. Many times she'd envisioned this very moment. It'd been back when she lived with the VK's. Despite their insistence that no one would ever leave the Isle, she couldn't help but dream about it. She'd thought about how they'd even leave, not knowing how one managed to travel over the open water. She'd thought about how she'd feel, how she might feel horrible about leaving her mom behind, but excited to know she'd be given a fresh start, a chance to change who she was for the better. Never had she thought she'd feel as she did now. Sick, tired, alert, anxious; Everything. All the bad and none of the good. Queenie could just thank Jay for actually coming through for her this time. She should have gone with him back when he'd offered instead of staying. She'd been a stubborn bitch and now she was suffering terribly for it.

"Q'." Jay spoke up from the other side of the car, and she hummed to let him know she was listening. "You should try some of this, it's good." He gestured to the strange-looking food, all of a different colour and shape, held in clean, shining jars.

"I'm not hungry." Queenie muttered, turning away from the window. She didn't look at Jay. She couldn't.

The boy sighed but nodded. He wouldn't push. "You thirsty?" He instead opted for something else, hoping she wouldn't refuse it again. His worries were calmed slightly once Queenie nodded, and he handed her a bottle of water. "You need some help?"

Queenie looked down at her cuffed wrists and shrugged. She'd asked him in the letter to bring them, had practically begged him. Her letter to come to Auradon had been given to her the same day a lot of others received theirs. She'd merely put it away in a drawer in her room, praying to whoever that Harry never stumbled upon it. Queenie herself never imagined she'd accept, yet here she was.

Jay slowly moved forward and uncapped the bottle, placing it against Queenie's lips. He moved the bottle as she tilted her head, gulping down the fresh, cold drink. He knew, vaguely, what'd happened back on the Isle. When he came for her after getting her letter, she'd told him everything. Even now it scared the shit out of him. He'd only left her a mere week and a half ago, and hadn't ever thought this could happen to her. He shouldn't have even left her there. He should have dragged her kicking and screaming away from the damned Isle, and away from Harry.

"They won't hurt me. Will they?" Queenie asked quietly, looking through the window once more and finding they were now on solid ground. They were in Auradon.

"You'll be safe here, Q'." Jay reassured firmly. No one would hurt her again. Not now, not ever.

"Did you tell them?" The young girl asked, uninterested in the scene flying by. She wasn't excited, or even nervous. She was downright terrified.

"Only Fairy-Godmother and Ben. Here, you're put into dorm rooms with other people but," Jay paused and shook his head. "You can't be around other people right now."

Queenie nodded in understanding. "I know. They should be scared of me. Hell, I would be scared of me."

"Q', you didn't do anything wrong. You did what Harry told you to do, and that's it. Ben knows how things work on the Isle, we both explained as best as we could to F.G and she says the same. You're innocent." Jay assured, only to frown when Queenie smiled. It wasn't a true smile, it was more of a grimace than anything.

"But I'm not, am I?" She said, finally looking at his face. "Innocent people don't do what I did. They don't have the stomach for it."

 _Queenie walked hand-in-hand with Harry, letting the insane pirate lead her towards the ship. She knew exactly what he had planned, and every step she took towards the ship made her want to vomit...again. She wasn't evil. She wasn't a goody-goody either, but this? This was madness. It was evil; Plain and simple. To take someone else's life, even on the Isle, was a big step. One not many VK's seemed to take. Harry was so easy to read. He wasn't just excited, he was practically inflated at the idea of killing another person. The worst thing was that Queenie always knew he was capable of doing something so terrible, she even expected it. However, she hadn't ever expected to be dragged into the act itself. Usually when she thought of Harry killing someone, it was always her._

 _The little princess knew a part of her should be somewhat grateful. Harry's temper was something no one could handle. He let go so easily and so quickly it would take the focus of his rage a while to keep up with the transition. He could've hooked this man in the shop and no one would have said anything, but he didn't. Instead he'd drugged him and locked him in the cells, giving Queenie the opportunity to take revenge on the man who'd helped put her in the tunnel. She knew full well that this was Harry's idea of being generous, but like she always knew, she wasn't wired the same way. She didn't want to hurt someone else, no matter what they'd done to her. Queenie didn't want to hurt Harry, either. If she refused to do this and told him to do it alone, it would hurt him in some way, and she couldn't stand the thought of that._

 _"We're here, darlin'." Harry told her, and Queenie looked ahead to see the ship in full view. It was dark, but she could still see it. She could practically feel it._

 _"H-Harry." Queenie stuttered, lightly tugging at his right hand until he stopped to face her. She couldn't do it. "I'm scared, Harry." She admitted._

 _Harry nodded. He looked down at the girl in front of him, softly smoothing her knuckles with his thumb. "I know, love. But it'll make ye feel better. He hurt ye, left ye for dead. He deserves this. Do ye trus' me, Queenie?" He asked._

 _"I trust you." Queenie confirmed, enjoying the smile he gave her after._

 _"Then trus' me when I say it'll make things better. Ye wanna stop feelin' so scared, don' ye? This is the way to do that."_

"Q'. Queenie." Jay said loudly.

"Yeah?" She asked, wondering why he was being so abrupt. It was then she realised the car had stopped moving. They'd finally arrived.

"You ready?"

Queenie's face went white. She wasn't ready. She wouldn't ever be ready, not for this. Things had gone way too fast on the Isle. She'd tried to run before she could walk, so to speak, and now her mind was in pieces. She shouldn't have ever attempted to clear her mind so quick, she should have taken the time to learn more about the Isle, to figure out what she could do there instead of diving straight in to the deep end, but she hadn't. She'd been so, so stupid.

"Do you want me to take those off?" Jay asked instead, nodding towards her bound hands.

"No. They make me feel better." Queenie told him, and he nodded.

Jay moved first. He pulled on the door handle and stepped out of the car, leaning down to see Queenie through the opening. "Everyone's in class. They're not allowed to leave until you're in your room. It's just me, Ben and F.G. Don't worry, Queenie. I won't let anyone hurt you."

 _'No one's ever gonna hurt ye again, love. Not after this.'_ Harry's voice rang loud and clear in Queenie's head, and she had to forcibly shake him away.

"C'mon Q'." Jay urged gently, offering both hands to the shaky girl. "It's just me."

Queenie took a deep, long breath and eventually gripped Jay's hands, letting him lead her out of the car. She had to remind herself that while Jay had screwed her over, he hadn't ever physically hurt her, and that thought alone was what got her out. She wondered if they'd felt the same when arriving, like they hadn't truly left the Isle. Because, at least to Queenie, it felt like a dream. She felt as if at any moment she'd wake up back in the den, sweating and shaking and crying. She hoped they could save her. If they couldn't, then who could?

When she finally got out, she fought to keep her eyes open. Everything was so bright and colourful, much different to the dreariness and cold air she was familiar with. She was sure any other time she would stop and make sure to take it all in, it was so beautiful, like nothing she'd ever seen before. Instead she found herself with an awful headache, and all of a sudden she was much too hot. The sun shining directly down onto them was new to her, and it would definitely take some getting used to.

"Queenie." An unknown female voice said, and the young girl tore her eyes away from the overwhelming sights before her.

"Who are you?" Queenie wondered out loud, her head tilting slightly to the right. The woman in front of her was short and curvy, dressed in a lovely shade of lilac, with her hair pinned back into an intricate bun. She didn't seem like much of a threat, but the princess couldn't be too sure about that.

"My name is Fair Godmother, most call me F.G." The woman replied, her kind voice accompanied by a warm smile. "I'm going to help you."

Queenie gaped. This woman sounded so sure. "You can help me?" Queenie asked hopefully, and the woman nodded.

"I can promise you that I'll try my very best. If it's okay with you dear?"

Queenie hadn't realised she still held onto Jay, not until the Fair Godmother took a small step forward and held out her own two hands. "Y-you're not mad?" Queenie whispered, looking back at Jay. She needed something, anything to let her know that it was okay to do this. Thankfully, Jay understood and gave her a nod.

"No, I'm not mad." Fairy Godmother assured, and Queenie nodded. She let go of Jay and instead placed her hands, albeit warily, down onto the fairy's. "Oh my..."

Queenie gasped loudly, and almost yanked her palms away. She didn't know this feeling, and she didn't like it. It felt like something, or someone in this case, was slithering through her hands and into her body, looking into both her heart and her mind. She didn't understand it, even as her feelings of anxiety and dread left, being replaced with contentment and relaxation. It was a rather intruding kind of feeling, but it made her calm, so she simply let it happen.

"Godmother?" It was Ben, and he sounded worried. Queenie had been so focussed on everything else she hadn't even noticed he'd been there, watching the entire thing. "Are you alright?"

Queenie took a quick glance at the older woman's face, and all too soon she wished she hadn't. A small sob escaped as she acknowledged each emotional flicker on the woman's face and in her eyes. Her mouth was open, eyes wide in what seemed to be fear and utter horror. She must have been seeing into Queenie, all of her memories and emotions appearing as if on TV.

"Oh my goodness!" The fairy exclaimed, her eyes blurring with tears as she withdrew her hands. "Oh, my dear."

Queenie moved back and hid behind Jay's taller form. She didn't feel scared any more, not as much as she did in the car anyway. Whatever the fairy had done had helped. Queenie felt relaxed, as if for once she had nothing to be scared about. She did, however, feel a little anxious. She wondered if she did something wrong, because she had never been looked at in the way the woman was staring at her now. The emotion didn't register in her mind and that was what concerned her the most.

"F.G.?" Jay asked, his arm held out in front of Queenie. He was going to stick to his word, he wouldn't let them near her until he knew she was safe.

"I'm fine." The fairy told them, coming back to her original self much quicker than any of them anticipated. "I'm okay. I've never seen so much pain before. You're so young, the same age as Jane." Her comment was directed towards Queenie, who still stayed close to her old 'friend'.

"Y-you saw everything?" Queenie asked curiously.

"I did."

"How?"

"Magic." The fairy said simply. "We don't use it often, we prefer to teach our students how to live without it. In your case, however, we may have to take a different approach. We need to settle you, young one, and magic might be the only way to do that."

Queenie stepped out from behind Jay, hoping she wasn't being an idiot...again. "Can you take it away? The pain, the memories. All of it. Please help me." She begged miserably.

The fairy cleared her throat. "I can't take it away dear, there's so much." Queenie deflated almost immediately. They couldn't help her. "But I can hide it, somewhere in your mind. Only with your permission, Queenie. I'll understand if you don't-"

"Take it." Queenie demanded. "Please, make it stop."

"Of course, darling. I'm _going_ to help you, I promise."

The sudden realisation that this woman could, and would, help her got to Queenie. She felt an abrupt sensation of overwhelming gratitude and it brought her to her knees. Literally. Her legs gave out and she fell down onto the gravelled pavement, one hand against her chest while the other strayed to her eyes that were, once again, releasing tears. For so long she'd wished and prayed for someone to take all the pain away, but never had she once thought that someone really could. It was clear that she wasn't brave or strong enough to fight it on her own. Maybe a little magic would be the answer.

 _Queenie followed Harry through the ship and down into the cells, attempting to steal some of his confidence away through their linked hands. He may have thought she was ready after their small talk on the docks, but she was no where near. The only thing that kept her going was Harry. His promise, his words, his actions, anything he ever did. Maybe he was right, maybe this could finally be her answer. After this she could finally move on from what happened and start anew, hopefully with him._

 _The salty air was stronger down below, she realised. The odour filled her nostrils and she could practically taste the sea on her tongue. While Harry was made to travel the water, she wasn't. She preferred land and the stability it brought, not an untameable, unpredictable force like the open ocean. Although, when she thought of it a little harder, maybe she could grow to like it. After all, Harry was much the same. His emotions could change as quickly as the weather did, his rage like crashing waves against the rocks, soaking anyone who got too close._

 _"He's in this one." Harry declared, and they stopped._

 _Queenie gulped and turned her body. The cells were dark, illuminated by a few candles resting on a shelf against the wall. Only when Harry picked up a nearby lantern and came back over did she truly see what the man looked like. It was a sight she knew would forever burn in the back of her mind. She remembered him all right. The old scar beneath his left eye, his black hair with streaks of grey. She knew it was his eyes she'd always be able to place, the way he'd looked down at her back when he'd almost killed her, like she was no better than a dirty cat rummaging through the trash for some leftovers. Queenie couldn't see his eyes, though. Harry had gotten started before bringing her there and he certainly hadn't held anything back._

 _"W-what did you do with the other one?" Queenie asked Harry._

 _"Nothin' really. Had Jonas take 'im somewhere, he should be back with yer mum by now." He replied, and she nodded._

 _A loud, pain-filled groan came from the man and Queenie flinched. She watched as he moved, only able to fidget. He'd been tied to a rather unstable looking chair, his arms firmly held behind while his two ankles were tied to the front legs. His armour, which she'd seen him wearing in Uma's place, was long gone. The only thing covering his body was a pair of ripped trousers, and even they were more strips of fabric than they were clothing._

 _"C'mon Queenie." Harry sighed impatiently, tugging something from around his neck over his head. A key, she soon noticed._

 _"Uh, Harry," Queenie muttered uneasily. He was leaning forward, jamming the key into the lock and twisting until it popped open._

 _"It's all right, darlin'. He can' hurt ye, not any more." Harry promised. He didn't know that it wasn't fear of her mom's old guard keeping her at bay, it was the fact she knew what was going to happen when she stepped inside the cell. What she'd have to do to him._

 _When Queenie didn't move with him, Harry seemed to get a little agitated. He quickly put one hand behind her neck, attempting to keep calm as he drew her closer._

 _"H-help."_

 _Queenie strained to hear what the guard was saying, but she did eventually hear it. He wanted help, not that she could blame him. She was astounded at how he was even still breathing. Both his eyes were swollen shut, completely blackened from the beating he'd received. His arms and chest were covered in cuts, bruises, gashes and more. His legs, which she'd thought Harry had left untouched, had two thick and corked nails_ _embedded through the top of his thighs. He was an utter mess, and it was hard for her to even glance, much less stare directly at._

 _"You didn't waste any time." Queenie remarked, her brown eyes flickering to the side. She hoped that making light of the very dark situation would make her feel better. It didn't._

 _"Well," Harry shrugged, removing his hat. "I couldn' let ye have all the fun now, could I? After all lass, this man hurt my princess, I had ta get a few digs in." He ran his fingers through his messy brown hair, keeping it there as he looked at the man in thought. "So, how do ye wanna do this?"_

 _His question caught her off guard. "H-huh?" She muttered dumbly, and Harry rolled his eyes._

 _"This is your time, lass. He hurt ye, remember, whatever ye wanna do now is up to ye."_

 _For a moment, she was quiet. The first time Harry fully and openly relinquished control to her and it was how a man would die. He really had to choose his moments wisely. "What would you do?" She settled on asking. Queenie hadn't planned on killing anyone, so she had absolutely no idea what to do now. She still didn't want to, not completely. There was something in the back of her mind whispering, telling her that this was a very, very bad idea. She ignored it._

 _Harry seemed rather pleased with this question, though she wasn't too surprised. It was chance for him to inflict more pain, of course he'd take it so willingly. "Me?" He asked, apparently touched at the thought of her requesting his help for this._

 _Queenie's stomach twinged with nerves as Harry silently strode behind her, his breath warm and heavy against her hair. His right hand lightly took hold of her waist, and she felt him pull her back against his chest. They didn't move, not at first. Queenie closed her eyes and decided to just feel. His heart was beating fast and hard, his breathing coming quicker as the seconds went by. The hand against her hip moved to slide up to her chest and she ignored the way his many rings stung her skin with how cold they were. It wasn't warm in the cells, it was practically freezing, and yet she'd never felt so hot. When Harry was this close, everything else melted away._

 _"I would hook him." Harry whispered into her ear. He gently moved them both forward and for the first time in so long, Queenie knew she had nothing to fear, not when Harry was around. So she let him. "I would dig so hard into his throat 'till he was coughin' up blood, chokin' on it." His voice had changed. It seemed deeper somehow, firmer than it had ever been._

 _Queenie took a breath, opening her eyes and seeing the cloudy air she'd released due to the cold. It was back. That weird, delighted sensation she'd felt back in the shop when Harry kissed her. Now, though, it was stronger and much harder to ignore. Her heart was practically pounding, and she thought it might come ripping out of her chest. Why was she so happy? He was telling her how he'd kill someone and she was hanging onto his every word as if he were telling her a lovely bedtime story. There was seriously something wrong with her._

 _"I want to do it." Queenie finally said, rubbing her nose against his cheek. It was the right thing to do. After this was done she'd feel amazing, maybe she'd even be like Harry._

 _"Then go ahead, love." Harry turned his head towards hers, and even in the dark she could still see his eyes. Those eyes she adored so much. "Kill him, Queenie."_

 _"Not like that." Queenie objected lightly, feeling a cold weight in the palm of her hand. A knife. "I want to 'hook' him."_

Queenie trailed behind Jay closely, keeping him within touching distance as they entered the large building. She kept her eyes trained on the back of his sleeveless jacket, attempting to keep her thoughts good as she followed. They weren't too willing to comply, apparently. All she could think about was what would happen if the Fairy's magic didn't work. She would be screwed then, and thrown away in their dungeons like the criminal she was. She wouldn't fight it, she deserved whatever they could do to her.

"You okay?" Jay said, looking back over his shoulder to see her. He didn't stop, but he did slow down enough for her to be walking next him, instead of behind.

"Honestly?" Queenie asked quietly, making sure the other two couldn't hear her. Jay nodded and she continued. "I'm fucking terrified."

"They won't let anything happen, Q'. They're good people. This isn't the Isle, you're safe here, I swear." Jay reassured. "If anything goes bad I'll get you out. I won't leave you again."

The young princess shook her head. He was still hanging on to that. Not that she couldn't understand it, even she'd been cursing him out back on the Isle for all they'd done, but things were different now. Jay's betrayal, along with that of the VK's, was the last thing she was worried about. The guard's face before he died was at the forefront of her mind. How his blood spilled out of his throat and down his neck. Even now it scared the living daylights out of her, and it always would. Every time she closed her eyes she saw him, he was why she couldn't sleep any more. Maybe after the Fairy was done it wouldn't hurt so much. The things she'd done wouldn't seem like such a big deal any more, and the stabbing ache she felt in her chest at leaving Harry back on the Isle would simply fade away. They were big things to hope for, but she was in Auradon now, and maybe wishes really did come true here.

"Here we are." Ben stated, gesturing towards a wooden door in front of them.

"What is it?" Queenie asked inquisitively, her gaze landing on the shiny plaque nailed into the door. "Is that my name?"

"This is your room, Q'." Jay confirmed, a small smile appearing on his face. "All yours." He took the handle and twisted, pushing the door open for her to see inside.

Queenie swiftly entered the room, her eyes wide with awe and delight. The room itself was enormous, much like the main room back in her den had been. There was a large, four poster bed in the middle and against the windows, covered in multiple pillows and blankets. There were two, white-coloured side-tables on either side with beautiful lamps and other simple items. An enormous wardrobe stood near another wall, though she knew that would be empty and would continue to be since she hadn't brought anything with her. It was a marvellous sight, one she felt she didn't deserve to see. It was all hers, so much for one little person.

"Is it all right?" Queenie heard Ben ask from the doorway, and she finally turned to the three.

"It's...I can't even. All of this is for me?" She gasped with joy, the tips of her fingers feeling the soft curtains. "How did you know I liked these colours?" While the room was still light and cheerful, she'd noticed a lot of red, black and white's decorating almost everything.

"Evie decorated, she remembered what you like." Ben was talking, but Queenie couldn't bring herself to focus on his voice. There was so much. "We also had this put up."

Queenie paid more attention when Ben came into the room, moving towards a portrait on the wall. It was a city, that much she knew, but she had no idea where it was. "I don't know where that is." She admitted, almost shamefully.

"It's Wonderland, Queenie. Where you're from. Your Aunt had it made for you when she heard you were coming here." Ben explained, and Queenie turned.

"My aunt?" She repeated, eyes showing both confusion and slight worry. Her mom wasn't the nicest person, what if she had enemies here in Auradon?

"Your mom's sister. You knew that, right?"

She didn't. Her mother very rarely spoke of any of their family, especially Queenie's father. It was a topic the princess had learnt early on to stay clear of, and even when she was curious she never asked. But an Aunt? Someone with the same blood that didn't want to hurt her? It was a startling thing to hear.

"Queenie?" The Fairy Godmother called, and she looked. "It's time."

"Time for what?" Queenie asked fearfully. She saw Jay and Ben glance at each other, but she couldn't read what their eyes were saying.

"We were hoping you'd feel more comfortable here, as this is where we'll be doing our magical sessions." The Fairy explained, and Queenie's brows furrowed.

"Sessions, as in more than one? How long will it take?" Now she was really worried. That feeling back when she'd got out of the car might have helped, but it wasn't a completely nice one. Having someone see all of her, to truly see inside her head and everything she'd done and been through wasn't a good thing. She'd only thought to do it one more time, not multiple.

"I'm a strong Fairy, Queenie. If I can do all of it in one session, I will. But you have to know that with a mind as broken as yours, it may take a while."

Queenie could only nod. At least the woman was apologetic about it all. "Okay. And this will help?"

"It will definitely help." The Fairy stated, then gesturing towards the bed. "Shall we?"

"Queenie." Jay said, unbinding her hands and taking them firmly into his own. "I'll be here, okay? You'll be _fine._ I trust her."

"I know you trust her, Jay." Queenie muttered, approaching the large bed. "But that doesn't mean I have to."

"Just get comfortable, dear." The Fairy soothed.

Queenie started by removing her jacket, tossing it to the side and taking off her boots afterwards. She shuffled down until she lay straight, her head resting comfortably on the nest of frilly pillows. "Jay." She called.

Her old 'friend' didn't say anything. He carefully sat next to her head, letting her weave the fingers of her left hand with his right and holding tight. "I'm here, Q'."

There was something wrong. A worried pang gripped at Queenie's stomach and refused to leave. Every other time she'd had this feeling things usually went South, and she wanted to tell herself that this time was different, that they were in a different place now and nothing bad would happen to her, but it didn't help. She didn't know why she was so scared. If Jay trusted this Fairy to help her, then she had no reason to be worried. It didn't matter what she told herself, something was looming near and she didn't like it one bit.

"Are we ready?" The Fairy asked cheerfully, and Queenie almost jumped off the bed, almost told them to 'shove it' and that she was going home, but she didn't. She had to fix her mind, and this was the last time she'd try.

"I'm ready." She tried to sound sure, but she was still so agitated, so nervous.

The Fairy nodded and accepted Queenie's answer. She sat on a pulled-up chair and leaned over slightly, placing both hands against Queenie's temples. "I'm so sorry, dear."

The regret and apology wasn't lost on the young princess. She made to move and demand what the woman meant, but she didn't have the time. In a manner of seconds, a searing pain shot through her head and stayed in one place, and she thought her mind would explode from the sensation.

Queenie let out a loud, ear-shattering scream, so forceful it burned her throat. The only thing she thought about before her vision left and all consciousness faded was that she hadn't just screamed nothing, a name had clearly left her lips.

'Harry'.

 _The Isle was silent. It seemed no one, not even the villains, were eager to leave their houses or places of ownership that night. There was something in the air, a dangerous, panic-inducing sort of feeling. No one knew why, no one even questioned it. They let it be, none eager to find out why things were so tense, and they were wise in that decision._

 _Harry whistled a merry tune as he moved quickly down narrow alleyways and confusing turns, bouncing as he saw a red-painted building within view. He smiled, chuckling lightly as he neared. His plans were already in motion. All he had do to was this one, last thing, and then he could go back to his princess. He'd told her to take a long bath, letting her know she needed to wash away all that blood and grime. Even if the sight did turn him on just a little._

 _He knocked three times on the doors, loud and clear so that whoever was inside was sure to hear. Soon enough it swung open, the guard he'd let go from the shop stood straight and to attention in front of him._

 _"Yes?" The man asked with a bored tone, recognizing the pirate almost immediately._

 _"Hello again." Harry greeted. "I've got a present for ye queen, from 'er lovely little daughter." He tossed the heavy object to the guard who caught it at the last minute, his eyes hardening._

 _"I'll have to check it first." He said, and Harry nodded in understanding._

 _"Oh, I know. Jus' make sure she gets it, yeah?" Harry wasn't too happy about that. He'd really hoped to see the Red Queen's own face when she saw what he'd brought, what his lovely little princess had done just for him. It was a beautiful, if not slightly disgusting, sight. The guard's fear would keep him happy for now though._

 _"What the fuck is this?!" The guard exclaimed with annoyance, unwrapping all the dirty rags impatiently. Only when the dirt turned to a thick, red substance did he falter, his eyes occasionally flickering towards Harry with some suspicion._

 _"It's a bit funny, really." Harry spoke, eyeing the man's hands as they moved the cloth aside. "Ye frien' asked me if I could take someone's head. I don' think he ever thought I'd really do it."_

 _The guard shouted and cursed as he dropped the offending object to the floor, shuffling back as he rubbed his blood-covered hands on his armour in an effort to clean them._

 _"She's a temperamental one, that Queenie." Harry told the man, completely unaffected by the repulsion on his face, or the severed head rolling across the tiled floor. "But I love 'er anyway. Have a good night, mate." And with that, he walked away, whistling his favourite tune as he hurried on back. His princess was waiting for him._

* * *

 **AN**

 **Hey! Just me again. This chapter was a bit long, and maybe a bit confusing but I feel the need to tell you that the next chapter will be the last one. I've enjoyed this story so much but it is coming to a close.**

 **Queenie is in Auradon and a lot of that will be explained, just not at this moment.**

 **Anywho, thank you so much for all the review, favourites and Follows. Make sure to leave a review and let me know what you think of this chapter.**

 **Thanks!**


	11. Chapter 11

Jay tilted his pencil up and down repeatedly, lightly tapping it against the book he was attempting to read. He was trying to focus on the words, he really was, but his attention couldn't help but be drawn to the girl sat across from him, looking down intently at the thick, hard-covered book in her small hands. Her lips moved as she scanned the pages, silently reading the words in an attempt to make them stick in her mind. It didn't seem to matter how annoying his study-habits were, she never complained once, and that was one of the things that irritated him the most. It was wrong of him, to try and make her annoyed enough to show a little anger, but he couldn't help it. He needed to know if she was still in there somewhere.

It had only been a month since he'd brought Queenie to Auradon after she'd asked for his help, but it felt longer somehow. The girl he looked at now was nothing like the girl he'd brought with him. This particular girl was confident, happy and sane. She always made sure to look her best before heading to classes in the morning, and was friendly and polite to everyone she talked to. Not that she hadn't been that way before. Back when they'd been together on the Isle she'd still been polite and sweet, but she only talked to someone if they spoke to her first, and never walked right up to anyone unless she had to. _This_ Queenie was every part a princess. She gracefully walked down the halls, her head held high with a smile on her face, like nothing could bring her down from whatever cloud she'd floated up to. Instead of wearing her hair down so that it covered her face, she now wore it up in a messy-yet-neat bun, her bangs tucked behind her ears. Her red dress was always ironed and clean, along with her suede black boots with a clear heel. She even put on make-up now, like all the other girls in Auradon. Jay couldn't deny that she was beautiful, she always had been, but the ever-present feeling of failure he got whenever he looked at her would always be a reminder. Very few knew why she like this, and he was unlucky enough to be one of those people.

Back when Fair Godmother told him she could help her, he believed her, and in some ways she had. Queenie was better than ever now, but it had come with a price. He could still hear himself shouting at both Ben and F.G. when she'd spelled Queenie, asking to know what the Fairy had done to his friend. The woman had told him that she did what she had for the good of the Kingdom, since Queenie was too broken and tainted to be released in Auradon without her 'aid'. He understood why she did that, but he didn't agree with it. Not one bit.

"Jay?"

Queenie's voice pulled him out of this thoughts, and he stared at her. "Huh?"

The princess giggled. "I asked if you were okay? You looked like you were somewhere else for a sec'." She explained, putting her book down to concentrate fully on him.

"Oh, uh, just trying to study." He lied smoothly, knowing that telling her the truth would be much harder. "Can I ask you somethin'.?" The girl nodded in response and picked up her book, able to both listen to him and read. "Do you remember much from the Isle?"

His question caught her off guard, though she didn't seem too worried about it. Queenie shrugged her shoulders and paused in thought. "Not really. I remember my mom, and you and the others. I remember how bad it was there. Why? Are you thinking about it?" She asked him with slight worry.

"Yeah, I think about it sometimes." He wasn't lying this time. On the odd occasion he did think about the Isle, about how his dad was and if he was okay. He always would, since the man had raised him, even if he didn't do a very good job in the 'protective-parent' department.

"Me too. I mean, not all the time, since I'm glad I came here. Sometimes I think about my mom. I know she kicked me out and everything but...I don't know, I still care about her. Sounds stupid, right?" Queenie smiled shyly, and Jay shook his head.

"No, it's not stupid. It just means you're a good person." When Queenie smiled at his statement he felt even worse. He wanted to tell her, he really did, but he couldn't. He'd been sworn to secrecy by F.G. and he wouldn't break that promise. His worry for Queenie's mental health would always come first, no matter how bad he felt.

"Jay!"

Both he and Queenie turned at the female voice, and while the princess smiled in greeting his eyes narrowed. What did she want now?

"Hey Uma, you here to study?" Queenie asked curiously, and the teal-haired girl scoffed.

"No way, I actually have to talk to Jay. D'you mind?" Uma said to Queenie with a sickly-sweet voice. The princess nodded and gathered her books without hesitation, pulling her backpack up onto one shoulder.

"I'll see you at lunch, okay?" She said, and Jay nodded.

When the Red Queen's daughter got far enough Uma took her place on the opposite side of the table, crossing her arms on the wooden desk to stare Jay down.

"Did you want something?" He sighed.

"Well that depends." Uma sighed loudly. "Have you told her yet?"

"Really?" Jay asked exasperatedly. "This again?" The witch tilted her head and stared, and eventually he caved. "No, I haven't told her. Happy now?"

"Oh, I'm fucking over the moon. Can't you tell?" Uma dead-panned, and Jay glared. "You have to tell her, Jay. She deserves to know."

"Why do you care?" He demanded, beginning to pack away his own things. "You don't even like her."

Uma pursed her lips. He wasn't right, but he wasn't wrong either. She hadn't liked Queenie too much back on the Isle, that was true enough. She thought the girl was weak, and her obedience was annoying unless she was benefiting from it in some way. However, while she sometimes lost her shit and liked to make people suffer, she'd never been cruel, and what Jay was doing to Queenie was exactly that. Uma didn't know all the nitty-gritty details, she didn't have to know, but what she did know she didn't like. Only after speaking to Queenie for the first time since seeing the girl in Auradon, and overhearing a rather intense conversation between Jay and Evie, she'd put some things together in her own head and deemed them true. After all, Jay never denied her accusations or thoughts on the matter, so she'd long since decided she was right.

"That doesn't matter." Uma finally exclaimed, drawing some attention from people passing by. A quick and angry look from her sent them scattering though, so she ignored them and turned back to her old 'enemy'. "She's going to find out eventually, wouldn't you rather she hear it from you?"

"What makes you think she'll find out?" Jay asked, and Uma rolled her eyes.

"She's a _girl,_ Jay. We find out everything eventually."

"You think I enjoy this?!" Jay shouted, quickly lowering his tone as he took note of the very few people moving towards their next class. "You think I like seeing my friend walk around acting like someone else? I know it's not right, but she's happy. For the first time in maybe forever she's finally happy. Why can't you accept that?"

"Because while _your_ little 'friend' is enjoying herself, _my_ first mate is going crazy back on the Isle. He's going to come here eventually and, when he does, you'll regret this. She needs to know." The girl stated firmly.

"I'm not listening to this." Jay declared, banging his fist on the table and getting to his feet.

"You know I'm right!" She shouted as he walked away, his back to her as he quickly left.

Jay ignored her, instead staring down at his feet as he moved. He knew Uma was right, not that he'd ever tell her of course. Harry's invitation to come to Auradon had already been sent, since the pirates were a few of the last to be brought to Auradon, but a part of him hoped the psychotic teen would rip it up. Queenie was doing so well now, she'd settled into Auradon perfectly and she had so many friends surrounding her, he didn't want anything to risk that happiness. Another part of him, though, knew it wasn't all Queenie. It was a pretence. She wouldn't be the way she was if she knew everything, and he prayed that she wouldn't ever find out. He couldn't bare to see her the way she was before, so broken and empty, but he had to admit that the way she was acting now was no better. He really wished he'd made F.G. take away that damned spell and let Queenie stay how she was. No one deserved what Queenie went through on the Isle, but no one deserved what the Fairy had done to her either.

 _When the Fairy finished with whatever spell she was doing, she took her hands away from Queenie's head, quietly standing from the chair. The princess was sleeping now. Her face was calm, her eyes moving beneath her eyelids as she dreamt about something, or nothing. Her hair stuck to her forehead, sweat dripping down her cheek and neck. It'd been a long, hard process but it was finally done._

 _Jay withdrew his hand from Queenie's and gently lay it beside her, tucking her body in with a thin blanket. Her screaming had stopped a few seconds ago, and he was glad to see her getting some rest, but he couldn't stay again if it would always be like that. "Is she okay?" He asked with worry, carefully moving a few strands of wet hair from the girls face._

 _"She's fine, her mind's just resting. It's all done, she'll be right as rain when she wakes up." The Fairy reassured, and he nodded, his mind calming with relief._

 _"Did you take her pain?" Ben asked curiously, settling himself down at the foot of the bed._

 _"I did. And a few other things." The last part was a small mutter, but it was enough to have both Jay and Ben reeling. What other things?_

 _"What do you mean?" Jay asked, a frown on his face._

 _Fairy Godmother took a deep breath and from the look she held, Jay knew it wasn't good. "In order to heal her completely, I had to remove a few memories."_

 _The room was deathly silent. Jay could only stare in absolute grief and heart-break, while Ben seemed utterly confused._

 _"Her memories?" Ben spoke, since Jay appeared unable to do so._

 _"Yes. That girl has been through a good deal of hardship and, to calm her enough to consider her safe to be in Auradon, I had to hide a few things. Anything after the coronation, she won't remember. It's better this way." The Fairy seemed to be convincing herself more than them, but that did nothing to soothe Jay's sudden anger towards her._

 _"You can't just take away someone's memories." He exclaimed as hushed as he could. He didn't want to wake Queenie._

 _"I can and I did." Fair Godmother said firmly. It was the first time Jay had seen her show something other than cheerfulness, and he didn't like it. "You didn't see what I saw, young man. This girl did horrible things. It doesn't matter how she was raised or treated, no one should do anything so evil. I did what I did for the safety of everyone."_

 _"Godmother." Ben gasped, his heart stinging with betrayal. He'd asked her to help, not take away something so important._

 _"Don't you look at me that way. It wasn't my decision alone. A council meeting was held, and we all voted. You have to understand, Ben, she was not in a good place. She would have been a danger to everyone and I feel we made the right choice. She'll be wonderful when she wakes, like a completely different person." Fairy Godmother explained as best as she could._

 _"Why wasn't I told about this meeting?" Ben demanded. "I'm the King, I should have had a right to vote as well."_

 _"With all due respect, your highness, we felt you would be swayed by your friendship and relationship with them. You run this Kingdom now, and I know you want to do what's best for those on the Isle and I respect that decision, I even agree with it. However, we could not allow you to let your sympathy's take control."_

 _"Who voted?" Ben asked, his tone softer than before._

 _"I did. The rulers of the other Kingdoms also voted against the young one, though her Aunt was the only one to disagree with the notion. It doesn't matter who did, or did not vote. It's done and it cannot be undone." Fairy Godmother sighed. "I'm very sorry, but this was the only way."_

 _"Jay," Ben gaped once the Fairy left the room. "I had no idea, I swear if I knew-"_

 _"It's okay." Jay assured the King, and friend. "Can you leave me alone, for a sec'?"_

 _Thankfully, the King knew not to ask or say any more, so he left. Once he was gone Jay moved back towards the still-sleeping Queenie. He'd promised her that she'd be safe and he'd let her down...again. It wasn't his fault this time, though. He had no way of knowing what they'd do. Not even Ben knew. It didn't help calm that ache in his chest, though, if anything he felt worse._

 _"I'm so sorry Queenie."_

Jay wandered about for a little while and eventually found himself in the cafeteria. He saw Queenie a little ways ahead, her books laid out in front of her as she occasionally looked up to talk to Jane and Lonnie. He'd been eager to tell her what happened when she finally woke up three days later, a pain in her head and no idea of how she ended up in the dorm room, but he didn't. The change in her was instant. When she eventually came to, she'd hugged him tight and asked what had happened. She'd never hugged him before, he could still remember the way she flinched away from his touch back on the Isle, and for once he was going to put her first. So he didn't tell her, and now here she was, absolutely content and loving her new life. Uma's sneaking and sly ways had put a bit of a bump in the road. He could only hope that the sea witch's daughter wouldn't tell the princess, and a part of him believed she wouldn't. Uma might not have enjoyed Auradon as much as they did, but even she knew that trying to change Queenie's mind back to how it used to be would be a dumb plan, one that would ensure she would end up back on the Isle again. It was a risky move, one he knew she wouldn't take.

Harry coming to Auradon was the worst thing that could ever happen. Even Jay could tell how obsessed Harry was back on the Isle with Queenie, and he knew for a fact that, if the pirate did come, he'd go straight for her and ruin everything she'd built. The former villain wished hard that the day would never come, that Harry wouldn't come to Auradon and would just stay where he was.

But that was a dumb wish. Harry _would_ come. It was only a matter of when.

~...~...~

Gil ran as fast as he could down the streets of the Isle, his feet making a loud 'thump' with each leap and jump he made. Harry had sent someone to get him, and that person had made sure he knew it was important he come very, very quickly. So he did.

He soon made it to Ursula's shop and when he got to the doors he stopped, huffing as he caught his breath. He very rarely ran so quick, but Harry's temper wasn't to be messed with. It'd taken a small dive when Uma left, but then things got better. It was only after Queenie left that things truly went south, and fast. Gil was one of the lucky ones, he'd always slip up and say stupid things so Harry knew to expect it from him, and even though he got mad he didn't ever hurt him. However, anyone who so much as mentioned Queenie's name was beaten badly and locked up in the cells for at least two days. Harry was a good Captain, always making sure he came through for his crew and making sure he protected everyone that paid him, but something had changed after Queenie left. He'd stayed in his room for at least a week, no one knew what had happened to him, some thought he'd been drinking since they often heard yelling and crashing and other noises in the middle of the night, but once that week had gone by Harry came back out, much the same as he had been before, but something had _definitely_ changed. If Gil could see it, then it must've been something drastic.

"Ye certainly took yer time." The Captain sang once Gil entered the shop.

"I came as quick as I could." The other boy replied defensively. The place was empty for once, so it seemed this wasn't a crew meeting. "What's wrong?"

Harry let out a loud laugh and Gil jumped, moving away from him without making it obvious. "A lot of things, Gilly-boy. _But,_ it seems somethin' is finally goin' right." His reply was cryptic, and Gil had absolutely no idea what was going on...again.

"Huh?"

Harry jumped up from his chair and dug his hook into the table. "We've been given a chance here, we're goin' to Bore-Adon."

"Really?! When?"

"Whenever I sign this letter, apparently." Harry shrugged, sitting back in his seat and crossing his ankles on the long table, holding the piece of paper in his right hand. "Uma says 'hi'."

Gil smiled widely. "How's she doing?"

"Eh, she's all right I suppose. Give this a read, will ye? Out loud." Harry slid a smaller letter across and Gil picked it up, noticing the way it was crinkled.

"Harry, you better be taking care of the crew and the ship, if you haven't I'll throw you overboard." Gil read, jumping up onto the desk. "This place sucks but it's not so bad, better than the Isle anyway."

"Yeah, yeah, get to the good bit." Harry urged with a bored tone.

"Uh," Gil scanned through the multiple paragraphs until he saw something familiar. "Oh! Hey! It says Queenie." His joyful tone soon switched once he realised what he'd said. "Oh, uh, I mean-"

"Jus' hurry up lad!"

"Okay, okay! Um...Queenie's here." He stopped, eyes glancing at Harry who, thankfully, wasn't too mad about him saying the girls name, so he carried on. "There's something wrong with her, Harry. I don't know for sure what the weirdo's have done but it's serious. You have to come to Auradon. Uma." Gil finished, still not completely understanding what the big deal was. "So, the plan is?"

"Now read this one." Harry tossed another letter to the son of Gaston, ignoring his question completely and Gil, despite still feeling rather perplexed by the entire thing, picked up the paper and began to read.

"Harry, I wanted you to hear this from me before someone else told you. I'm going to Auradon. I need to be fixed, Harry, and I really think they're the only ones who can help me." Gil paused to take a breath, and he found Harry relaxing back in his chair, his eyes closed as if he'd decided to take a quick nap. "I need you to know that I'm not leaving you, I would never leave you, but I can't be useful to anyone right now. I don't want you to think you did something wrong because you didn't, you were only looking out for me like you always do and I messed up again. I won't be gone long, and when I come back I promise I'll be better than ever. Please don't be mad, I'll see you soon. Queenie." Gil looked at the letter, then up at the decorated ceiling, then back down at the letter. "I'm confused." He declared.

"About what?" Harry asked, opening his eyes to look at his friend.

"How long has she been gone?"

"About a month."

"She said she wouldn't be gone long, but a month is long. Right?" Gil asked, and Harry nodded in confirmation.

"Aye, it's a very long time."

"Then why would she lie?"

It wasn't hard to tell that Gil was upset. While he hadn't been as close to Queenie as Harry was, he still liked her...a lot. She listened to him and never called him stupid, or threw him out for saying the wrong thing. She was his friend, and the thought that she'd left them had him feeling quite heartbroken.

"Ye see!" Harry exclaimed, leaping up from his seat and moving in closer. "I thought that too! Why would my little princess lie about somethin' like that. She might, but Uma would _never_ lie ta me. Those Bore-Adon brats did somethin' to her."

"W-why would they hurt Queenie?" Gil asked with furrowed brows.

"Because, Gilly-boy, those dicks over there don' get it! To them, everythin's black an' white. Ye're either good or bad, no in between. But my little princess is different." When Harry saw no change in Gil's features, he knew he had to elaborate further. "I remember once, there was a little dirty kitty outside the shop, tearin' into the bins lookin' for scraps. I was gonna toss the thing away, but my little princess stopped me. She took it 'ome that night, fed it an' everythin'. She really loved the mangy little rat. I thought for sure she was gonna go to Bore-Adon, but I was _wrong._ " Harry frowned as he thought back on that night, but then a chilling grin came to his face and Gil leaned away, just a little bit scared. "I've seen her do some terrible things, things that would scare the absolute shite out of those assholes on the other side. She's not good, she's not bad, she's just..." Harry trailed off into silence and gave a small shrug. "She's jus' Queenie."

It was the first time in a while Harry had said Queenie's name, and Gil found himself utterly dumbfounded. "S-so, what are we gonna do?" He asked.

Harry leaned back and lifted his hook, eyes following his index finger as he trailed it along the pointed object. "They took my little princess away, so I'm gonna go get her back. An' you're comin' with me."

~...~...~

Queenie leaned back and closed her eyes, a soft sigh of utter relaxation leaving her lips. She'd been running around all day, making sure she was on time with her classes and studying up on everything she'd missed. It was hard to find time to herself, she was often joined by at least one other person, usually Jay. So when she did manage to escape from everyone and be by herself, she relished the moments, since they were very hard to come by.

It was getting late. The sun was going down, the bright light peaking over the horizon and sending a beautiful gleam across the calm, ocean waves. There was a slight breeze in the air from being so close to the open water, and Queenie let herself enjoy it. She still wasn't sure why she came to the pier, if anything she should have gone to the enchanted lake. The view there was absolutely perfect. It may have been old, but it was still gorgeous, with it's glowing water and the sound of birds in the surrounding trees. It was easily the most calming place in Auradon, and yet Queenie always found herself down on the pier, which paled in comparison. The only thing worth seeing was the way the sun set over the water. From here she could clearly see the dreary Isle and the misery it held, and she didn't even like the sea that much. The smell of the salty air often made her a little nauseous, but she still came. Every single time she came here, and she still had absolutely no idea why.

A loud 'splash' rang out and Queenie opened her eyes, knowing that her time alone was over. For now anyway. "Hello Uma." She muttered.

"Princess." The teal-haired teenager replied in greeting, her tentacles flowing over and down into the water as she sat next to the Red Queen's daughter.

"What are you doing here?" Queenie asked, moving to sit straight as she pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping both arms around her bare legs.

"Just taking a late swim before I head back to the dorms. What are _you_ doing here?" Uma inquired.

"I come her sometimes, to think." Queenie shrugged, lightly fiddling with her pendant.

"I could leave." Uma offered, though she didn't really want to. In truth, she wanted know if Queenie was starting to remember anything yet.

"No, you don't have to. You have as much right to be here as me." Queenie smiled, and Uma nodded.

They stayed silent after that. Queenie looked out at the waves, or down at her hands, while Uma just stared at the other girl in curiosity and wonder. The princess didn't remember anything about her from the Isle, so Uma had been given the chance to make the girl see her in a different way. They weren't friends, not to Uma anyway, but since Harry was taking care of everything back on the Isle for her, she thought it only fair to keep an eye on his little princess while they were apart.

The sea-witch's daughter spent a lot of time in the ocean, after all it was her rightful home. She didn't sleep there, but she found it was the most calming sensation ever. If she needed to think or just get away, she'd dive into the waters, spending maybe hours down in the reefs below. She'd noticed pretty quickly that Queenie came to the pier at least once a day. She never talked to her before, didn't even come out of the water, she just watched how the girl acted when no one was around and wondered if she truly had been changed, or she was playing pretend. Uma had been pretty disappointed when she realised Queenie had really been switched in some way, but there was something else there. Uma wasn't sure if the princess knew she did it, but she sometimes stared at the Isle...a lot. Most of the time it was with this lost, sad look on her face, like she was missing someone but didn't know who. It confused Uma at first, but when she finally started to see that magic hadn't taken everything away, she'd been just a little pleased, if not slightly irritated. Queenie was unknowingly making the other teen feel sorry for her, and Uma hated feeling bad for other people.

"Uma?" Queenie spoke suddenly, and the other girl nodded to show she was listening. "We're friends, right?"

"Uh, yeah. Of course we are." Uma assured. It was a lie, of course. Uma didn't like Queenie, hadn't trusted her on the Isle and wasn't sure if she did now. But Uma also had a duty towards her first mate. He'd proven himself to her numerous times in the past and she was only doing this for him, since she knew he'd do the exact same for her. She didn't have female friends, and she wasn't about to change that now, but she had been working her ass off to get closer to Queenie and this time she wanted things to go her way. So if she had to spin a few small tales and be a little nicer, then so be it.

"I need to get something off my chest, but it's a bit weird and you're gonna think I'm crazy." Queenie laughed, though she was far from amused. She seemed scared, and just a little sad.

"I won't tell anyone, I swear." Uma told the princess. "Have a little faith in me, Queenie."

Queenie looked at Uma for a second or two, before finally coming to the decision that the girl wouldn't go against her, or tell anyone else. "I think there's something wrong with me." She finally released.

"We were born on the Isle, Q'. There's something wrong with all of us." Uma chuckled, rolling her eyes as she moved to look at the Isle. She was hoping Queenie would tell her something big, something important. Not something absolutely ridiculous. "Why don't you go see F.G. about it?"

"No, you don't get it." Queenie sighed. "It's not something physical, it's up here." She tapped her left temple with her index finger, then moved it towards her chest. "And in here."

That caught Uma's attention. Queenie wasn't talking about some kind of bruised knee or a hurt elbow. She was feeling something, something she didn't understand. "Try and explain it to me." She demanded, wincing as she realised how much of her usual self had come through. "Maybe I can help." She added afterwards, making sure she sounded as worried as possible. She didn't want to scare the princess out of telling her.

"I can't." Queenie stressed, tears forming in her hazel eyes. "I'm going insane, Uma. If I'm around other people I'm fine, I'm happy. The minute I'm on my own things get weird. I get so, so sad about nothing! I feel like I've lost something which is stupid because I have everything and I spend hours walking around looking for it. And every time that happens, I end up here, on this stupid pier. There's this ache in my chest, and I have no idea why it's there." She was rambling, she knew that, but she couldn't help it. Her mouth just wouldn't stop moving. "There's something else."

Uma had been quite caught up in the princess's words, but she was smart enough to keep up. "What else?" She lightly pressed, urging the girl to tell her more.

"This." Queenie moved both hands behind her head and untied the knot of her dress.

"Uh, Q', you're pretty and everything but-" Uma stopped, her eyes widening completely. "What the fuck is that?" Cursing was severely frowned upon in Auradon and usually punishment was involved, but Uma didn't quite care at the moment. She couldn't hold back this time.

"I don't know." Queenie whispered. She held the upper part of her dress to her chest, hiding anything other than the scar from Uma's eyes. She hadn't shown it to anyone else, she'd been too scared to. "At first I thought it was a question mark, but then I looked closer and realised what it was."

"A hook." Uma finished for her, a familiar sensation of annoyance welling up within her. She hadn't paid enough attention back on the Isle, apparently. She knew Queenie belonged to Harry, he'd told her everything she needed to know. What she hadn't known was what they did when they were alone. Harry was fucked up, Uma knew that, but marking his 'girlfriend' was a rather intense thing to do. They must have had something more than just an owner-pet relationship. There were so many girls on the Isle willing to die for Harry, even some guys, and yet he'd gone and branded the weakest girl he could find. Uma wouldn't get any answers from Queenie, the princess's mind had been stripped blank of anything to do with Harry and the crew. Uma needed to speak to Harry, and if he wasn't coming then she'd just have to break through the barrier and drag him there herself.

"I'm crazy, aren't I?" Queenie asked, though it was more of a statement.

"No, I don't think you're crazy." Uma admitted, shaking her head lightly as she saw the girl's eyes light up with hope.

"You don't?"

"Nope. I think you went through some bad things on the Isle, like the rest of us, and maybe it's affecting you somehow. Have you talked to Jay about it?"

Queenie shook her head. "Not really. He asks me what I remember, I tell him and that's pretty much it. I think he knows, though. He looks at me sometimes like I'm a stranger, and it scares me to death." She admitted, feeling a little relieved to have gotten everything off her chest. Uma didn't shout or run away like she thought she would have. She was a good friend.

"I think he's just worried about you, Q'. I won't tell him what you told me today, if you don't want me to?" Uma told her, a part of her hoping that she would be the only one to know about Queenie's little 'secret'. It would be a lot easier to help bring Queenie's memories back if she wasn't going up against Jay and the others.

"I don't want him to know just yet. I wanna figure things out for myself, see if I can find anything about this." Queenie gestured to her sternum, now covered by the red fabric once more.

"Why don't you just ask F.G.?" Uma saw something in Queenie's eyes as that question left her mouth. It was quick and brief, but she'd seen it many times on the Isle. Fear.

"I don't wanna worry her, I'm sure she has enough going on." Queenie shrugged.

"Uh, yeah, I guess." Uma muttered in thought. Apparently the old Queenie was in there somewhere, she just needed to be brought back out. If anyone could do that, it would be her first mate. "Maybe you should head back to the dorms and get some sleep, we can talk more tomorrow."

"I think you're right." Queenie grinned, moving to stand straight, her backpack slung onto her shoulder. "You coming?" She asked the teal-haired girl, eyes sliding over to Uma's bright tentacles.

"Nah, I'm gonna stay here for a little bit longer. You go ahead." Uma told her, waving a hand nonchalantly. "I'll see you in class."

"Bye Uma, and thanks for the talk, it really helped." Queenie waved, turning to go back to the school.

When the princess disappeared from view, Uma turned to see the Isle. She absolutely hated the fact that even though it was so close, she couldn't go there. If she could she'd be there in seconds, yelling at her first mate about how much of an idiot he was. She knew how strange and over-possessive he was about the princess, but she never thought he'd go as far as to carve a hook into her skin. Apparently a simple tattoo wouldn't have been satisfying enough, he just had to go and make things weird. If anyone in Auradon found out what he'd done to Queenie, he'd be stuck on the Isle forever, just like his old man. Uma didn't want that for him. He was her best friend, he deserved just as much freedom as she did, and she would make sure he got that. First, though, she had to help him with Queenie.

"You better be on your way, Harry." Uma seethed. She knew full well he wouldn't hear her, but doing this made her feel better. "Your girl needs you."

* * *

 **AN**

 **Okay, so, I'm just going to clear a few things up. I've seen all of the reviews and I know a lot of you are disappointed that Queenie ended up in Auradon, and I get that, I really do. However, this is the way this story was always going to go, but just remember that things aren't so simple.** **To one of my reviewers, you are definitely right that Queenie made a big mistake in going to Auradon. Queenie will be a stronger version of herself...eventually. There will be a lot of things going on in between that will help her get there, trust me. This girl has a lot more to go through before she discovers who she truly is.**

 **Now, to anyone concerned about Harry and Queenie being together, they will definitely end up together...at some point. This is the last chapter but I do have a sequel in mind, so don't worry too much about those two, they have so much more to go through both together, and alone. There is no way in hell I'm going to have Queenie paired up with Jay or anyone else.**

 **I really hope all of you guys enjoyed this last chapter, I tried to make sure I made it interesting without using up any of my thoughts or ideas for the second story. I'm also so, so grateful to everyone who've reviewed, favourited and followed this story. I really wasn't expecting so many of you to like it so I'm really happy that a lot of you enjoyed it. I've loved seeing all the comments and feedback and thoughts.**

 **Anyway, please leave a review to let me know what you thought of this chapter, or even the whole thing all together. Big thanks to you guys, again! Let me know if you'd be interested in a second part as I do have some ideas for that in mind.**

 **Thanks!**

 **Also, any typo's and such that you see will be corrected and changed once I re-read through.**


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